( CNN ) -- Your kids deserve better . Because Congress failed to pass the Child Nutrition Bill last week , bad school lunches will remain bad . While the bill was n't perfect , it would have created stronger nutritional standards and provided more money for the school lunch program -- adding six cents per lunch for the first time in 30 years . This was the first step on the long ladder to fresh food , and now it 's a missed opportunity . Among other things , this bill would have banned the junk food that is served in schools and competes with the fresh food your kids need . Eating this junk every day will take 10 years off their lives and cost you a fortune -- adding thousands of dollars to the family health care tab . When Congress returns , members should not only support these new standards but also give people the necessary dollars to get on the path to fresh food . At the moment , $ 4.5 billion is attached to the bill , which only works out to six cents on the plate -- not much , but better than nothing if it can buy an apple for each child 's breakfast or lunch tray . Over the last two years , more than 700 advocacy groups have been working to get these important changes written into law . Yet Congress could not bring enough support to pass the bill . Do members not value the health of America 's kids ? Since I 've been working in America , I 've been overwhelmed by the number of people who write to me . More than 600,000 people have signed the Food Revolution petition for better school food . They are really worried about the quality of food their kids are served in school -- the soda , chocolate milk and pizza for breakfast , lunch and dinner . It 's not just me who thinks we need change . Parents deserve to know what their kids are being fed at school . If Congress wo n't put the regulations in place , then Americans are going to have to take things into their own hands . Here 's how you do it : . Drop into school and eat lunch with your child . See for yourself what is being served on the breakfast and lunch trays . If you do n't like what you see , find other parents in your school who are as frustrated and disgusted as you are . Band together and go to your school board and demand change . Love your lunch ladies . Go visit them and thank them . Let them know you appreciate that they take care of your kids and that you want to help them get better equipment , training and information to make their jobs easier . Make noise . Send e-mails , meet your school nutrition director , go to PTA meetings , get your kids involved . Take every opportunity to keep school food change front and center . If this bill does n't get passed when Congress comes back in November , then it 's going to be another five years before we have another shot at fixing these regulations . Five years is too long to wait . Without this legislation , school food will stay in the Dark Ages of nutrition and your kids are going to suffer . They deserve better . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jamie Oliver .
Jamie Oliver : Child Nutrition Bill failed , which means same old unhealthy school lunches . Schools serve junk food like chocolate milk , soda and pizza at each meal , he writes . 700 groups want this kind of law , he writes . Does Congress not value children 's health ? Parents should see what kids are eating , Oliver says , and if disgusted , push for healthy food .