The day after a Congress decided that Pizza is a vegetable, Bill Shore and Jeff Bridges from http://www.strength.org/ appear on Morning Joe to discuss School Lunch Programs and Summer Food programs for school age children.

Specifically, the provisions of the bill, as drafted by the White house, but gutted by Congress would have:

-- Block the Agriculture Department from limiting starchy vegetables, including corn and peas, to two servings a week. The rule was intended to cut down on french fries, which some schools serve daily.

-- Allow USDA to count two tablespoons of tomato paste as a vegetable, as it does now. The department had attempted to require that only a half-cup of tomato paste could be considered a vegetable -- too much to put on a pizza. Federally subsidized lunches must have a certain number of vegetables to be served.

-- Require further study on long-term sodium reduction requirements set forth by the USDA guidelines.

-- Require USDA to define "whole grains" before they regulate them. The rules would require schools to use more whole grains.

Food companies who have fought the USDA standards say they were too strict and neglected the nutrients that potatoes, other starchy vegetables and tomato paste do offer.

The financial danger would be a 14 cent rise in the cost of these meals.