The federally funded National School Lunch Program provides meals to children in over 101,000 schools and child-care centers. The meals must meet specific nutrition requirements, based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, in order to receive cash reimbursement and donated commodities.
Menu Planning
School systems may meet nutrition goals by using several menu planning options. The traditional food-based approach requires specific food components to be served at each meal, in specific amounts based on age or grade groups. Each planned lunch must include: fluid milk, a bread or grain serving, 2 fruits or vegetables, and a meat or meat substitute. Schools may also use enhanced food-based, which uses different age groupings and requires extra fruits or vegetables and bread or grains servings. Schools may choose the nutrient standard approach, which is based on weekly averages of nutrients instead of specific food components.
Nutrient Goals
All schools are required to meet specific nutrient goals, no matter which planning method is used. These goals are based on the dietary guidelines and are updated periodically. Schools are required to provide lunches that fall within age-appropriate calorie goals, provide 1/3 of the Recommended Dietary Allowance, or RDA, for key nutrients including protein, provide no more than 30 percent of calories from fat, and less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat.
Vitamins and Minerals
Target goals of 1/3 RDA have been set for calcium, iron, vitamins A and vitamin C. These particular nutrients have been chosen as they are considered proxies for major food groups and, according to the Institute of Medicine, help identify dietary patterns that include other essential nutrients as well. The Institute of Medicine has also noted these key nutrients may also be considered nutrients of concern, as current levels of intake may be low, such as by calcium.
Other Nutrients
There are currently no specific targets for cholesterol, dietary fiber or sodium. However, schools are encouraged to pay attention to these nutrients as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans have identified cholesterol, fiber and sodium as important in the prevention of chronic diseases. The goals for schools are to reduce cholesterol and sodium while increasing fiber.
References
- USDA Food and Nutrition Services: National School Lunch Program Fact Sheet
- USDA Food and Nutrition Services: Menu Planner
- Healthy School Lunches: National School Lunch Program Background
- US Department of Health and Human Services: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005
- "Nutrition Standards and Meal Requirements for School Meals and Breakfast Program"; Institute of Medicine; 2008
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