Left Over: How Corporations and Politicians Are Milking the American School Lunch

Overview

Episodes

Details

A 6-part investigative series looking at the systemic shortcomings of the National School Lunch program from those at the bottom of the pyramid, to those at the top. Left Over host award-winning journalist Jessica Terrell travels to school districts across the country for a closer look at why and how corporations and politicians are undermining and exploiting the American public school lunch system. Each episode of Left Over dives into the experiences of lunch workers, students, caretakers, and community organizers while examining how the problematic views surrounding poverty and unchecked racial inequality are fueling the country’s largest anti-hunger programs. The series is made possible by grants from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Recent Episodes

OCT 6, 2023

Introducing: 100 Latina Birthdays

The health and wellness of Latinas is crucial to the health and wellbeing of the U.S. economy. In 100 Latina Birthdays, an original documentary series from Peabody-nominated LWC Studios, reporters in Chicago investigate the health and lifetime outcomes of Latinas in the United States from birth to age 100. In season 1, the stories that unfold center Latinas during their perinatal journeys, childhood, adolescence, and up until age 20. In episode 1, new parents Wendy Miralda and José Paz are navigating the first year of their daughter Jelyani’s life, in Spanish. Language is key to their connection as a family and as Hondurans living in a predominantly Mexican neighborhood in Waukegan, Illinois. The Paz family never questioned teaching their baby Spanish. But many Latinos in the U.S. grapple with the misconception that doing so could delay their child learning English, or affect their development. There’s also the stigma Latinos face when they don’t teach their children Spanish. Reporter Andrea Flores dives into the research on infant brain development that supports bilingualism, and tackles the harmful misconceptions that divide U.S. Latinos along language lines. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays.

35 MIN

JUL 26, 2023

Introducing Still Paying the Price: Reparations in Real Terms

The newest narrative podcast from LWC Studios is out now! “Still Paying the Price: Reparations in Real Terms” is a 14-part series exploring how reparations should be paid and to whom. This podcast is meant to be enjoyed in an order that makes the most sense for our listeners. You can begin by listening to this episode or wherever you find your podcasts–-and start your own reparations exploration.

For more information, all episodes, and transcripts visit StillPayingThePricePod.com.

Original score by Kojin Tashiro. Cover art: "Gemini" by Fitgi Saint-Louis.

This series was funded by a grant from The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

3 MIN

MAR 15, 2023

"We Created This System in the First Place"

74 percent. That’s how much fewer greenhouse gas emissions schools emit into the environment when they implement sustainable lunch menus–like Meatless Mondays. From serving culturally relevant food to buying from local farms, nutrition leaders across the U.S. are reimagining what school lunch can do for their communities. In this final episode, reporter Jessica Terrell explores how school nutrition programs are innovating and learning what it takes to make lasting, large-scale change to the National School Lunch Program.

This episode includes an annotated transcript with links to sources used in the reporting. This podcast was created by editors at The Counter and produced by LWC Studios. It is made possible by grants from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The Counter's 6-year archive of award-winning food journalism remains accessible to the public at thecounter.org.

37 MIN

MAR 15, 2023

"It Felt Like You Were Banging Your Head Against a Wall"

60 to 70 percent of total milk sales. That’s the share of chocolate and flavored milk students buy in school cafeterias each year. Nutrition workers, parents, doctors, and the dairy industry have debated whether to keep chocolate milk in schools for over a decade. Reporter Jessica Terrell examines the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 and the fight over chocolate milk to understand why attempts to reform the National School Lunch System often fail.

The Counter's 6-year archive of award-winning food journalism remains accessible to the public at thecounter.org.

30 MIN

MAR 15, 2023

"Their Job Is Not to Make Kids Healthier"

$40 billion. That’s how much the “Big Three” food service contractors—Aramark, Sodexo, and Chartwells—earned in the United States in 2019. Many public school meal programs are run by private companies with a documented history of cutting employee wages, reducing food quality, and pocketing incentives meant for schools. Reporter Jessica Terrell details how corporations profit off the public school lunch system, and talks to some of the people who have worked to hold them accountable.

The Counter's 6-year archive of award-winning food journalism remains accessible to the public at thecounter.org.

33 MIN