Fulton County Schools Celebrate National School Lunch Week

ATLANTA, GA – Packing or buying school lunch is a daily debate for many families. Fulton County Schools is hoping to educate parents about healthy school choices and encourage them to take advantage of convenient and well-balanced school lunches as part of National School Lunch Week celebrations, October 15-19, 2018.

The National School Lunch Week (NSLW) theme, "School Lunch - Lots 2 Love," reminds school communities and parents about the many nutritious choices and continued improvements to school lunch menus. Fulton County Schools’ Nutrition Program has many innovative initiatives including highlighting Georgia Grown locally sourced produce and featuring a different cultural fare each month. Students have access to healthy foods all around the school, with Grab and Go carts that roam the halls. Fulton County Schools have an award winning nutrition program, receiving the Golden Radish Award for their Farm to School Program every year since 2014, two Georgia Best Practice Awards in 2017/18 and the 2018 Georgia Grown System of Distinction. Keeping up with demand, SNP professionals have added new menu options for the 2018-19 school year, including spaghetti bowls with meatballs, turkey and cheese croissant, seafood basket, chicken quesadilla, Italian pasta bake, chicken and waffles, walking nachos, chicken noodle soup with grilled cheese, grilled chicken club sandwich, and more.

“There is so much to recognize about the nutritious and kid-friendly meals we offer in our cafeterias,” explains Fulton County Schools Executive School Nutrition Director Alyssia Wright. “Our school nutrition program features healthy foods that not only meet the nutrition needs of our students, but are appetizing and easily accessible through various serving methods.”

Students will be encouraged to show their love for school lunch from October 15-19 with special guest servers, coloring contests, special giveaways, free samples of kale chips on “Try It Tuesday,” and a chance to win the Grand Prize at the end of the week.

Each year, nearly 7.5 million school lunches are prepared for more than 91,000 Fulton County students. Healthy and well balanced; school lunches are a bargain for families that want a nutritious meal at a cost-conscious price. Priced at just $2.45 for elementary school students and $2.70 for middle and high school students, the meals provide students all the nutrition they need to succeed at school. Adult meals are priced at $3.45.

“It is important that we celebrate the fantastic initiatives that are making our school lunches healthier, more accessible and more appealing to students across the state,” said Georgia School Nutrition Association President Nicole James. “National School Lunch Week helps us educate parents and students about all the healthy and appealing choices Georgia schools offer in our cafeterias to support students with a well-balanced school lunch.”

The federally funded National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides nutritionally balanced, healthy meals to students every day. The program, which has been serving the nation’s children for more than 70 years, requires school meals to meet federal nutrition standards like offering fruits and vegetables every day, serving whole grain-rich foods, and limiting fat, calories, and sodium. Parents can view Fulton County school menus on the school system’s School Nutrition website and also see each food item’s nutritional content.

The “Lots 2 Love” campaign is made possible by the non-profit School Nutrition Association. Parents and students can follow the fun using the hashtags #NSLW18, #SchoolLunch, and #Lots2Love.

About the Georgia School Nutrition Association

The Georgia School Nutrition Association (GSNA) is a non-profit professional organization representing more than 6,000 members who provide high-quality, low-cost meals to students across the state. Founded in 1951, GSNA is devoted exclusively to protecting and enhancing children’s health and well-being through school meals and sound nutrition education.