GOVERNMENT INCREASES CONTROL OVER SCHOOL LUNCHES: TOO MUCH FAT

The federal government, which through the Agriculture Department reimburses schools to the tune of $4.3 billion a year for food served to students, has come out with new guidelines based on the fact that healthier is better. Indeed it is, but forcing the nation's 92,000 schools to comply with its new low-fat rules under the threat of withholding reimbursement is hardly the way to accomplish it. It's another example of the government saying "do it our way or else."

Four years from now schools will have to make sure that no more than 30 percent of lunch calories come from fat, and no more than 10 percent from saturated fat. Schools also must cut down on sodium and cholesterol, and lunches must provide more fiber, meaning more fruits, vegetables and grains will be served.

The rules allow that menus can be based on a week's worth of meals. That means the 25 million children who eat lunch at school might have ham on croissant one day -- about 33 percent fat -- and grilled chicken and rice the next -- about 20 percent fat. A serving of chocolate cake for dessert might be allowed once a week, but the students will be eating fruit the other four days.

It won't be easy for schools to comply with the 30 percent low-fat rule considering they still must offer whole milk on a daily basis. But the Agriculture Department can't do anything about that; it will take an act of Congress to change that requirement.

We don't argue against more wholesome eating at schools. Indeed, we suspect that more school districts are already making an effort to provide low-fat and low-cholesterol meals. But woe to those that don't do it just like the government says; the Agriculture Department will force them to comply by threatening to hold back funding.

What might be next? Does the Agriculture Department need to re-examine its food stamp program? After all, it funnels billions of dollars to parents to assure that children are properly fed.

With this way of thinking, don't be surprised to see the Agriculture Department come out with new guidelines limiting to 30 percent the amount of fat-rich foods that can be purchased with food stamps. It could easily work; just threaten recipients with compliance or the loss of food stamps. And then what next?