Kiko's Food News, 5.30.14

Michelle Obama wrote about what she sees as “attempts in Congress to undo so much of what we’ve accomplished on behalf of our children”: (New York Times)

For example, the House of Representatives passed a budget bill that would allow schools to opt out of the White House’s Healthy, Hunger Free Kids nutritional guidelines from 2012; apparently this many healthy meals for children is “too much, too quick” for some: (New York Times)

Half of 900 men recently surveyed said they do most of their family’s grocery shopping, and over half of those said they do all of it; am I the only one that finds this encouraging, yet hard to believe? (Boston Globe)

McDonald’s introduced a new animated character to serve as its Happy Meal brand ambassador; “Happy,” is supposed to represent wholesome eating, going hand in hand with kids’ recent menu option of apples and yogurt in lieu of fries. (The Motley Fool)

A UC Davis report showed that food quality will suffer as CO2 levels continue to rise; nitrate assimilation is slower under these conditions, and elevated CO2 lowers protein concentrations in grains and potatoes: (Food, Nutrition & Science)

A countercultural movement in the European Union is aiming to break the dictatorship of government over fruit and veggie aesthetics, and thereby combat food waste: (New York Times)