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Today’s School Lunches: Improved, But Not Yet “A” Material by Leigh Kades Published: August 2006 There’s no doubt that school lunches have improved since 1981 when David Stockman, the Reagan Administration’s budget director, proposed that ketchup be used to satisfy the federal requirement for vegetables in school lunches. But exactly how healthy are school lunches today? How are our schools addressing the issue of unhealthful diets that contribute to childhood obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and other weight-related health problems in record numbers? Last year Congress adopted a new provision that requires school districts participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture school nutrition programs to establish a local wellness policy by school year 2006 –2007. As a result, Williamsburg-James City County (WJCC) public schools have adopted a Student Wellness policy that includes nutrition education, physical activity and a minimum standard for all foods and beverages available during the school day. Jane Haley, supervisor of child nutrition for the WJCC school division, reports that the policy ushered in a number of changes at the division’s schools: • No sodas are available; only water, milk and 100-percent fruit juices. • Only baked potato chips and other low-fat snacks are sold a la carte and in vending machines. • Milk sold in the cafeteria is either one-percent or skim, not whole. • Low-fat yogurt, fresh fruit cups, applesauce, salads and fresh vegetables with dip are replacing high-calorie items on the a la carte menu. These are encouraging trends in school nutrition. Haley admits, however, that there have been fewer changes in the hot lunch menus, though those menus do meet or exceed nutritional standards set by the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). The NSLP requires that lunches meet the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which suggest that: • No more than 30 percent of calories should come from fat, with less than 10 percent of those from saturated fat. • Americans should eat approximately nine servings per day of fruits and vegetables, with an emphasis on choosing a variety of types and colors. • At least half of the day’s calories from the grains group (bread, cereal, rice and pasta) should be whole grains. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans include the USDA Food Guide Pyramid (www.mypyramid.org), which is used by many health care professionals as a measure of a healthy diet. The table below shows a sample lunch for WJCC elementary and middle school children:
In this selection, a child choosing the option of either sandwich with au gratin potatoes and baked beans or au gratin potatoes and pear halves would only be getting one serving of fruits or vegetables, making it difficult to fit eight more servings of fruits and vegetables into the day. The sandwiches are also served on white bread, though whole grain bread would enable students to eat more whole grains. Replacing the au gratin potatoes with a simple baked potato or whole grain rice would be even better. Regardless, Haley says that the lunches meet the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for fat content. Valerie Huckstep, a registered dietician who frequently consults with the school division on nutrition issues, notes: “Although we have begun to positively move forward with improved menus and nutrition education for our children, there is definite room for improvement. With the [new] WJCC School Health Initiative Program (SHIP) unfolding at our schools this fall, I am optimistic about continued improvement in our children’s momentum towards healthy and long-lasting lifestyle behavior changes.” It’s important to point out that students are able to purchase any of the hot lunch menu items a la carte. A health-conscious student could choose to buy a sandwich a la carte, and then add a fresh fruit cup, raw veggies with dip or a yogurt cup for a healthier (but more expensive) option. Ultimately, parents need to realize that the nutrition and health decisions made at home are the ones that will most affect their children, regardless of what’s served in the school cafeterias. “Let’s not forget, however, that as parents and WJCC employees it is our responsibility to take on more of a leadership role in modeling healthy lifestyle behaviors for our children and students,” says Huckstep. “As parents we need to provide nutrient-dense foods and beverages for our children’s meals and snacks daily. If you need some help in this area, there are many qualified and passionate registered dietitians out there to guide you in improved family eating.” Despite shortcomings, hot school lunches are a convenient and economical option for busy families. School lunches meet the Dietary Guidelines for protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and calcium. And WJCC schools continue to improve the healthfulness of the food available, with or without the ketchup.
Editor’s Note: This September, WJCC schools will officially launch the School Health Initiative Program (SHIP), funded by a 2005 grant from the Williamsburg Community Health Foundation (WCHF) to the school division in the amount of $2.3 million. SHIP Coordinator Denise Corbett says the school division is “committed to making changes” and will “move toward offering healthier options such as whole grains and vegetables in more appealing ways.” |
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Williamsburg Health Journal
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