To receive federal funding, today's school lunches are required to meet certain requirements in order to ensure children have access to healthy food choices. For families who may not be able to otherwise afford these lunches, children can receive free or reduced price-lunches.
History
The National School Lunch Program was initiated in 1946, according to Education.com. Congress enacted the law to establish this program when soldiers began to be turned down for military service due to nutritional deficiencies. From these beginnings, more than 30 million students in America consume a school-provided lunch each day. Some students can receive free or reduced-cost lunches based on family income. In order to receive funding from the federal government, school lunch programs are required to meet certain nutritional requirements set forth by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA.
Requirements
An estimated one in three children in the United States is considered overweight or obese, according to Red Orbit, an internet news channel. Nutritional requirements for school lunches include that no more than 30 percent of the lunch's calories come from fat, according to the USDA. Less than 10 percent of the calories should come from saturated fat. In addition to these requirements, school lunches must meet one-third of nutritional requirements for protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium and calorie intake.
Considerations
School lunch programs are required to advertise their lunch offerings on a monthly or weekly basis. Kids Health recommends reviewing a cafeteria menu with your child on a weekly or daily basis to discuss healthy versus unhealthy choices. If you observe a day when your child does not eat a certain food or the offering is not a healthy enough option, consider packing your child's lunch this day.
Exchanges
Teach your child the importance of choosing nutrient-dense foods over those high in fat or cholesterol, according to Kids Health. Have him choose turkey sandwiches over high-fat lunchmeat. Get him to choose whole-grain bread instead of white bread. Other examples of healthy food choices include baked chips, cut vegetables and air-popped popcorn over high-fat chips and french fries. Your child should always drink low-fat milk, water or 100 percent fruit juice.
Research
The USDA continually tests the behaviors and choices schoolchildren make in the lunch line, according to Red Orbit. The USDA launched a $2 million study in 2010 that aims to understand how children make their food choices. "Across the nation, many schools are already taking steps to provide students with healthier meals and the nutrition knowledge to make healthier choices," said USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack in 2010. "However, it is well-recognized that understanding the value of a healthy diet does not always translate into healthy choices."
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