N.Y. districts seek healthy lunches to satisfy new school rules

A stew made of fresh kale, onions, carrots, celery, green peppers, shell pasta and beans will soon be making its way into the cafeterias of the Ithaca City (N.Y.) School District.

The dish, called pasta fazool, is the latest attempt at constructing an entree without meat but heavy on vegetables and beans, said Ithaca City School District Food Service Director Denise Agati. The meatless entree is one of the several new school meal rules that first lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced last week.