Recent Changes in School Lunches
Have you noticed the recent changes in school lunches? New federal nutrition standards are now in place that will reduce the amount of fat and sodium in school lunches, plus incorporate more fruits, vegetables and whole-grains. That's great news for parents concerned with the quality of the food their kids are eating at school. Some of the changes are so seamless you'll hardly notice them. Kids will still be getting their favorite foods, just a healthier version of them. Plus, there will be new offerings like grab-and-go fruits, ethnic foods, and familiar name-brands.
Confused about all of this? The School Nutrition Association has recently launched Tray Talk, a new website that gives parents the dish (pardon the pun) on all the recent changes. There are stories, recipes, and loads of information. You can also easily connect with Tray Talk on Facebook. Feel free to “like” them and pose your questions, concerns and stories about school lunches in your area.
Not only that, the website features some great school nutrition success stories on what school districts nationwide are doing to make the most of their food budget while instilling healthy eating habits. One story in my home state of Minnesota tells of a local farmer who donated part of his bumper crop of tomatoes (500 lb. , no less!) to the school. Food service pitched in and helped to make homemade marinara sauce that would be served up to the kids with whole wheat pasta. There are also wonderful stories of other great farm-to-table initiatives in your area on Tray Talk. If your school isn't already doing cool things like this, contact your district food service director for information on what you can do.
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