Alice Waters and Katrina Heron make the case for a “government bailout” of the National School Lunch Program, which costs the United States Department of Agriculture about $9 billion a year, offers meals packed with ingredients found in fast food, and, as a result, is threatening the health of our children, particurlarly those from low-income families.

How much would it cost to feed 30 million American schoolchildren a wholesome meal? It could be done for about $5 per child, or roughly $27 billion a year, plus a one-time investment in real kitchens. Yes, that sounds expensive. But a healthy school lunch program would bring long-term savings and benefits in the areas of hunger, children’s health and dietary habits, food safety (contaminated peanuts have recently found their way into school lunches), environmental preservation and energy conservation.