Ensuring Healthy Meals for American Students

Students are spending approximately more than 20 hours in school in a span of one week. This being said, it could be deduced that majority of their meals are being eaten in school or within the vicinity. Given these circumstances, state and federal officials are taking serious measures to ensure that American students are not only eating foods that taste good but also foods that are healthy.

Calling for reforms

Breakfast is considered to be the most important meal of the day. Having a healthy breakfast ensures that the body has the right amount of energy needed to start the day.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), together with the state governments were given the authority by the Health, Hunger-Free Act of 2010 to conduct nutritional reforms that would be implemented in schools. Five major reforms are expected, and the first one will be in effect this coming school year.

Nutritious breakfast

The School Breakfast Program will kick off in the coming school year and there is much anticipation for the pilot implementation of this new nutrition program. The program involves allotment of appropriate rations of low-fat milk for students as well as whole grains. This is the new requirement: breakfast should consist of 50% whole grains. Next school year, the program is going to have an upgrade, which means that breakfast should comprise 100% whole grains for students in schools.

Healthy lunch

Lunch standards have already been leveled up last school year. The program set definite calorie counts for the different school levels. Elementary school students were given the limit of 550 to 660 calories for lunch. For middle school, calorie intake was set at 600 to 700 while 750 to 800 calories were recommended for high school students. There were also some changes in the menu with more whole grains, fruits and vegetable. Full-fat milk took a nose dive and was totally stricken out of student meals.

However, many students complained that the new standards left them hungry. Given the reception, the USDA allowed some changes in the grain and meat servings. At present, lunch standards are still in effect while health officials work on further reforms.
More costly

More healthy meals mean additional costs. A lot of schools are already applying for additional funding. Jessica Donze Black, director of The Pew Charitable Trusts Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods, commented that half of district schools in the United States were already part of a new reimbursement scheme. Of the allowed schools, 75% already applied. The turnout is expected to facilitate additional changes in school meals in the future. Even though the changes are not mean to be implemented until next year, a lot of schools are going to act on the new standards this coming fall.

Snacks-all-you-can

Snacks commonly consist of readily available meals or stuff from vending machines. In order to properly manage students’ snacks, the USDA implemented new standards on this area as well. School cafeterias are now required to offer snacks that include fruits, low-fat dairy products, vegetables, proteins and food with low calorie count. There are limits to the amount of sugar, sodium and fat in the snacks.

Photo Credit: School Lunch