Each day millions of school lunches are sold across the nation. Some of these lunches are better than others. To be considered one of the best school lunches, quality, nutrition and price must be considered. When school districts focus on the nutritional needs of the children consuming the lunches the nutrition and quality increase. With the implementation of these new quality meals the price should also be reasonable and affordable to all family income levels.
Healthy Kids Act
In 2010 Congress proposed a bill to mandate healthier school lunches nationwide. The bill, Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids provides national dietary guidelines for the foods and beverages that are made and sold in school cafeterias. It also increases funding by .06 dollars per lunch served to allow for more fresh foods to be provided. On top of restructuring the menu it also requires all school employees that work with the making and serving of meals to receive training in nutrition.
Quality
High quality school lunches are important for children of all ages. Some of the best school lunches in the nation are created by chefs that incorporate everything from fresh vegetables to whole grains and grade A meats. One of the nations best school lunch programs is in the Fairfax County School System in Virgina. One of the most unique aspects of this districts' meal plans is the incorporation of the Give me 5 Colors the Jive, which introduces new and unfamiliar quality foods such as fruits and vegetables to the menu each month.
Nutrition
Another aspect that is important in determining the best school lunches is how nutritious it is for students. There should be plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and proteins mixed into their meals. The School Nutrition Association reviews various school districts for their inclusion of recommended servings of healthy foods as well as their eagerness to educate students about the importance of eating healthy and rewards them for their efforts with the District of the Year in School Nutrition award.
Price
When school lunch prices are too high some parents have difficulty providing the finances to accommodate the expense. The best school lunches provide quality nutrition at a reasonable price. The average school lunch costs about $3.00. This price is a nationwide average. Often the price of the lunch reflects the quality and nutritional value of the lunch but because of the new legislation providing a national standard for school lunches this is no longer the case. Students throughout the US are continually being provided better lunches with the best lunches being high in quality products and nutrition while reasonably priced.
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