Like most years, 2011 was no stranger to controversies. Here are 5 of the biggest.
1. School Lunches: A number of school lunch controversies popped up this year. One Chicago school banned homemade lunches. In Florida, some parents protested a school's decision to implement new restrictions designed to protect a student with severe peanut allergies. Then, the ongoing debate about banning chocolate milk continued.
2. Restaurants Accidently Serving Kids Alcohol: Within a week period, there were three high-profile cases of restaurants accidently serving children alcohol instead of normal drinks. The problem began at an Applebee's, but quickly spread to Olive Garden and Chili's.
3. Eating Horses: Top Chef: Canada received a backlash from angry viewers when one of their episodes required a contest to cook horsemeat. The outcry could become even louder as the United States recently approved plans to allow horse slaughterhouses to reopen.
4. Shark Fin: Long considered an essential ingredient to several dishes in Asian cultures, shark fin has come under attack this year because it requires the killings of thousands of sharks annually. The debate heated up in the United States and California passed a ban on the ingredient. Many famous celebrities were pumped. Some people went way overboard in their activism.
5. Racism: Sadly, racism remains a very real part of society today. It transcends national and geographical barriers. Whether it came from a billboard in China or a small town in Washington or a restaurant advertisement in Dubai, 2011 had plenty. Don't forget about Chick-Fil-A either.
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