I’m hanging out with my best nine-year-old friend this week while her mom is on a business trip, so I’ve been making her lunches.  Luckily for me, she eats just like I do—peanut butter sandwich and a snack on the side. Not every kid gets a homemade lunch, and school lunches have become a hot topic, taken up by Michelle Obama, Jamie Oliver, blogs like The School Lunch Project, and a vocal “mommy” political movement.

There’s a lot to keep track of—this website has a good roundup of some of the issues. If you don’t know the difference between the Child Nutrition Act and the National School Lunch Act, check it out.