All public schools in the United States serve lunch to their students according to guidelines set by the U.S Department of Agriculture. The National School Lunch program was set up by Congress in 1946 to ensure children were getting a minimally nutritious lunch and getting the opportunity to learn about eating a balanced diet. Today, the basics of the program remain the same, but students face new challenges as they wade through the many a la carte options, also called competitive foods, available to them in the modern school cafeteria.
General Guidelines
A school lunch is intended to provide between one-third and one-half of a student's nutritional needs for one day, according to the American Dietetic Association. The nutritional needs of children were determined using the USDA's Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are research-based findings used to establish healthy eating guidelines for the majority of the population that are updated every five years. These guidelines are also the basis of the MyPyramid educational tool.
Macronutrients
The three macronutrients -- carbohydrates, proteins and fats -- are what gives a food its calories. To keep calorie intake at appropriate levels and to ensure you are getting the proper balance of nutrients within your caloric intake, you must monitor your macronutrient consumption. A school lunch encourages fat intake of 25 to 35 percent of a student's total calories, with a focus on low-fat dairy. Carbs make up 50 to 60 percent of calories and proteins the remaining 15 percent.
Micronutrients
Micronutrients are nutrients that are essential for your body but are not caloric. Vitamins, minerals and water are examples of micronutrients. School lunches are required to provide at least one-third of the recommended daily allowance of vitamins A and C, iron and calcium. As of 2011, these are the only micronutrients that are regulated by the USDA for school lunches. Schools do not have to meet minimum or maximum guidelines for nutrients such as B vitamins, fiber, sugar or sodium.
Competitive Foods
Schools are only required to follow guidelines for the main meals posted on the weekly or monthly menus. Most schools do provide other food options to students, but often those foods are highly processed, fatty or salty snack foods. If competitive foods are part of your child's cafeteria experience, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend educating your child about healthy eating and making sure they are getting consistent messages about what makes a healthy lifestyle.
References
- USDA: National School Lunch Program
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; Comprehensive School Nutrition Services; Position of the American Dietetic Association, School Nutrition Association, and Society for Nutrition Education; November 2010
- Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine: Healthy School Lunches/National School Lunch Program Nutritional Requirements
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Promoting Healthier Foods and Beverages in U.S Schools
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