As Spider-Man, he defeated the Green Goblin and Sandman. But in his latest role, actor Tobey Maguire is taking on an even bigger threat to public health—unhealthy school lunches. On July 30, the father of two young children sent letters to congressional leaders asking that the Child Nutrition Act provide more healthy vegetarian options in school lunches.

“I am deeply concerned that unhealthy school lunches are contributing to our nation’s childhood obesity epidemic,” Maguire wrote in the letters to Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. “My wife and I just had our second child, so this issue is tremendously important to us.”

Maguire, star of Spider-Man, The Ice Storm, and The Cider House Rules, is asking that the upcoming reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act (CNA), which regulates the National School Lunch Program, help schools serve more low-fat vegetarian meals.

“School is tough enough already—students shouldn’t have to put up with lunches swimming in fat and cholesterol,” wrote Maguire. “Let me ask you to please ensure the Child Nutrition Act provides more fruits, vegetables, and healthy vegetarian foods.”

The letters—covered by People magazine and in the political periodicals Roll Call and The Hill—are part of PCRM’s campaign to provide students low-fat plant-based meals.

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research,and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.