New York Schools Phasing Out Butter

First there was a New York elementary school going all-vegetarian, and now there's news that New York schools haven't been using butter in recipes since 2008.

According to the New York Daily News, an email was sent out asking school kitchen managers why they're ordering butter, with an attachment detailing which school kitchen managers were ordering between $74 and $148 worth of butter. 

"Every Manager on this list has to get a disciplinary letter by close of business next week Friday (5/10/13). I also want a copy of every letter sent to my office," the email said.

So why such a big deal? The Education Department told New York Daily News that butter was slowly phased out of cafeterias starting in 2008, replacing the fat with low-fat salad oil and peanut butter, jelly, and cream cheese with bread. "We're not banning butter," spokeswoman Margie Feinberg said. "We just haven't used it in our recipes since 2008."

And while this crackdown on excessive butter ordering may seem excessive (one employee was reportedly threatened with employment termination), the move toward healthier foods at schools is still much needed, especially after seeing that trailer for a New York fourth grader's documentary on school lunches.