Asked which school meals were their favorites, students at a public school in the New York borough of Queens don't say chicken fingers or meatballs. Instead, they name rice and kidney beans, black bean quesadillas or tofu with Chinese noodles.

"Whoever thought they would hear a third-grader saying that they liked tofu and Chinese noodles?" asked Dennis Walcott, New York City schools chancellor.
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Ryan Goodman is a generational rancher from Arkansas with a degree in Animal Science from Oklahoma State University in Animal Science, and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at the University of Tennessee, studying beef cattle management. He is one of many farmers using social media to bridge the gap between farmers and urban customers. Follow his story daily at AgricultureProud.com or on Twitter and Facebook.

A few weeks ago, I received a Facebook message out of the blue asking to stop my support of animal abuse. The person behind the message said I may not realize it, but she believes what I do for a living is inherently cruel.

She described things she feels are wrong with animal agriculture - how baby calves are used for veal production, how cows are sucked dry of their milk until they can no longer function, and how pigs and chickens are crammed into crates to the point where they cannot move. She believes that livestock farming needs to end in favor of plant-based diets to feed the world's population.
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Vegetarians are (mostly) not here just to ruin your good time. Really. I swear. I was one, myself for seven years and all I wanted at a cookout was to hang out with my friends, and not have to worry that the omnivores would gobble up all the meat-free sides before I got to the table.

These days, while I'm likely to smoke up a brisket, a rack of ribs or some animal innards when company comes over, the non-meat options surely don't get short shrift.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to celebrate the bounty of the season and make sure all my guests leave full and satisfied - no matter how they choose to chow down.
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Our explainer on gestation crates and the controversy around them hit home with a lot of our readers. At last count, over 800 of them - consumers, chefs, farmers and activists - weighed in on animal rights, the toll on farmers, the practical aspects of farming and so much more.

Here is a sampling from the ongoing discussion, and don't miss HLN host Jane Velez-Mitchell's take on why the ten-year plan to phase out crates just isn't soon enough and a debate on ethical slaughter.

How will the farmers fare?

Another attack on American farmers? All this will do is just move pig farms overseas and meat will be more expensive. Another job to be outsourced. Like you hypocrites really care how you got your bacon. - Darmon

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The message may be kind and timely, but do outrageous tactics undermine vegans' central mission?

Previously - Are kids too young to understand veganism?

Parents have many talks with their kids as they grow up. There's the "birds and the bees" talk and the "sharing is caring" talk, or even the "don't be a bully" talk. Now, author Ruby Roth wants parents to have the "If it's too scary to talk about while we're eating, it's too scary to eat" discussion with their children.

Roth is talking about veganism. Like vegetarians, vegans don't eat meat, but they take that philosophy a few steps further. Vegans won't consume or use any products that contain any part of an animal. For example, they don't eat eggs or dairy and won't wear leather.

Her new children's book, "Vegan is Love," is causing quite a stir, with some critics saying she's scaring children into a lifestyle choice that young kids aren't equipped to make.
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When 33-year-old Ashoo Mongia visits the supermarket it's rarely for stocking up his fridge for the week. As head of a cow protection enforcement team, he regularly scours Delhi grocery stores and outdoor markets for food products containing cow beef.

For the last 15 years, Mongia and his team of 120 Delhi-based volunteers have thrown themselves in a battle that pits India's billon-dollar meat industry and growing underground beef trade against Hindu traditionalists keen on preserving the holy status of cows.
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Anderson Cooper's favorite teen bride and alliterative tweeter Courtney Stodden is on a sexy campaign to sexily promote eating sexy veggies sexily. Because of vegetarianism. Sexy, sexy vegetarianism.

Dried, crushed cochineal beetles add the red tint to Starbucks' strawberry and cream cappucino. The Food and Drug Administration says they're safe to consume, but vegetarians are awfully bugged out by the revelation.

Previously - Health department bugs out over grasshopper tacos and I scream, you scream, we all scream when there are cicadas in the ice cream

5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe.

Whether it's kicking your soda habit or resolving to open that bottle of wine you've been saving just because, the beginning of a new year means reflecting on what we'd like to change. Seeing that we're a food-based Web site, any impending alterations tend to be of the edible variety.

Gene Baur is the co-founder and president of Farm Sanctuary, a farm animal protection organization with a mission "to end cruelty to farm animals and promote compassionate living," and he has his own notion of a food resolution - and hopes you'll chew it over during the upcoming year.

Five Ways to Eat More Compassionately in the New Year: Gene Baur
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