The U.S. Department of Agriculture administers the Food and Nutrition Service, FNS, which helps feed the disabled, elderly, children and families who meet federal poverty guidelines. The most well-known of the FNS's programs are the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. These programs are available in 101,000 public and non-profit private schools across the country and are not based on poverty guidelines.
School Meals Guidelines
USDA federally reimbursable school meals are required to meet federal nutrition guidelines. The guidelines state that lunches must provide one-third of the recommended dietary allowances for calories, protein and important vitamins and mineral. However, these guidelines do not apply to "competitive foods" sold in schools, such as à la carte foods and beverages available in school cafeterias and foods and beverages sold throughout the school in vending machines, snack bars or through school fund-raising activities.
Vending Machine Foods
The food and beverage industries provide "competitive foods" at schools. These foods are often low in nutritional value and high in sugar, fat and salt and do not fall under the USDA guidelines for reimbursable foods, according to the Food and Nutrition Board. Some schools who need the extra money from the sales of these foods have adopted healthy vending machine policies requiring food and beverages sold to meet specified nutrition standards for food sold in vending machines. Healthier vending foods include perishable and nonperishable options such as dried and fresh fruit, trail mix, fig bars, low-fat or light yogurt and low-fat snack cheeses.
Improved School Lunch Guidelines
In 2010, before the 2010 Dietary Guidelines were finalized, the USDA updated the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program meal requirements to align school lunches and breakfasts with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines. The proposed recommendations are based on a 2009 report from the Institute of Medicine, ''School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children." The proposed rule changes to the two meal programs will offer more nutrient-rich and calorie-appropriate meals, based on age limits. Schools will be required to offer more fruits at breakfast; increase the amount and variety of vegetables at lunch; offer more whole-grain-rich foods; reduce the levels of sodium and saturated fat in meals; and limit milk to only fat-free and low-fat choices.
Food Industry's Role
Agreements have been signed between non-profit health organizations and school food manufacturers to help schools meet or exceed the requirements currently being finalized by the USDA, according to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a coalition founded by the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation to address childhood obesity. The food industry--proposed changes include low-fat lunch entrées with reduced total fat and sodium levels, lean protein and fresh, canned or frozen fruit.
References
- Clemson Cooperative Extension: Healthier Foods at School
- Let's Move: Healthy Food in Schools
- "Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools: Leading the Way Toward Healthier Youth"; Food and Nutrition Board; 2007
- "Federal Register"; Vol. 76, No. 9; Proposed Rules 2497
- Alliance for a Healthier Generation: Groundbreaking Industry Agreements Help Increase Availability of Healthy School Meals
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