Students are going to see some new choices on the cafeteria line.
It’s noon, and the school bell is ringing. As the kids flood the lunchroom they have many foods to choose from: whole-wheat pizza, baked French fries, fruit, vegetables and low-fat milk. In their eyes, these might look like the same old choices, but in reality things are quite different.
At the end of January, the US government implemented new nutrition standards for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. The changes are the first for these programs in 15 years. Remember the tomato paste counts as a vegetable debate? Even though tomato paste and French fries are still considered vegetables, I’m ecstatic that new standards for school lunch and breakfast passed.
I’m not naïve enough to think that it will be easy to implement these changes. This program serves 32 million kids at lunch and 11 million at breakfast. I admit, I can’t seem them being overly excited about more fruits, vegetables or whole-grains on their plate. But, given that children consume 30-50% of their calories while at school, this is huge news.
The modifications will begin this fall and could take several years to be fully integrated. For example, sodium in foods for our kids will be decreased over a 10-year period. This may seem like a long time, but it took 15 years to even turn the conversation into change. Also, standards for breakfast and a la carte foods will be implemented in the future.
Some of the other include (check out the sample menu at the end of this article for detailed information):
• Offering both fruits and vegetables every day of the week in a larger portion based on age group
• More whole grain food options
• Milk is fat-free or low-fat including chocolate and strawberry milk
• Reducing the amount of saturated fat, trans fat and sodium
• Serving proper portion size and calories to children based on age
Here in EHS’ home city, The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) took the initiative and has already begun implementing the new standards. Not surprisingly, the kids refused to eat many of the new menu items, which resulted in high waste. I applaud CPS in their efforts, but sadly it isn’t that easy to elicit change. Switching from one way of doing things to another way overnight and expecting 100% compliance doesn’t even happen in adults let alone kids.
Implementing the new standards in conjunction with education is key. In my experience working with kids, they get excited about new things, but you have to get them involved. Having them involved in what they eat can be beneficial. Teaching them and their teachers that healthy food tastes good is important for the success of this new program. The responsibility of educating our kids does not only fall on our teachers, emphasizing the importance at home is equally important.
Here are some tips and free resources for teachers and parents to use to teach their kids about healthy foods:
• The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a full section on Health and Nutrition Information for Educators on ChooseMyPlate.gov. There are many handouts and games for children ages 6 to 11 that can help with the teaching process
• First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign is dedicated to solving the obesity problem in children. The website has eating healthy and getting active tips for parents, kids, schools and more
• The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has a resource for kids of all ages to help your child grow healthy
• While shopping, let your child choose a new fruit or vegetable to try each week
• At home, get them involved. Let them wash, measure or peel fruits or vegetables when preparing a meal
Share with me how you’re going to get your kids involved in healthy, well-balanced eating.
Photo via SLU Madrid Campus
Catherine Theodorou, MS, RD, CSSD, LD Sr. Manager, Dietitian
Elementary school lunches before and after
Here’s how elementary school lunch menus will change on two sample days:
DAY 1
Before regulation:
Hot dog on bun (3 oz.) with ketchup (4 Tbs.)
Canned pears (¼ cup)
Raw celery and carrots (1/8 cup each) with ranch dressing (1.75 Tbs.)
Low-fat (1%) chocolate milk (8 oz.)
After the regulation:
Whole-wheat spaghetti with meat sauce (½ cup) Whole-wheat roll with soft margarine (5 grams)
Green beans, cooked (½ cup)
Broccoli (½ cup) Cauliflower (½ cup)
Low-fat ranch dip (1 oz.)
Kiwi halves, raw (½ cup)
Low-fat (1%) milk (8 oz.)
DAY 2
Before the regulation:
Cheese pizza (4.8 oz.)
Canned pineapple (¼ cup)
Tater Tots (½ cup) with ketchup (2 Tbs.)
Low-fat (1%) chocolate milk (8 oz.)
After the regulation:
Whole-wheat cheese pizza (1 slice)
Baked sweet potato fries (½ cup)
Grape tomatoes, raw (¼ cup)
Low-fat ranch dip (1 oz.)
Applesauce (½ cup)
Low-fat (1%) milk (8 oz.)
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
