AACPS Receives Grade 'A' For Healthy, Nutritious School Lunches

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD -- Public school hot lunches have undergone an overhaul in recent years, yet not all kids are big fans of the changes. But Anne Arundel County Public Schools has received an "A" grade from Healthy School Food Maryland, a parent and student organization that advocates for healthy and nutritious meal offerings for students.

HSFM calculates scores in 13 different categories that reflect a school system’s commitment to initiatives such as reducing sugar, offering fruits and vegetables, the presence of farm to school and wellness programs, transparency and meal variety. School systems receive from 0 to 4 points in each category. AACPS received 37 out of a possible 52 points, a five-point increase from last year.

“Supervisor Jodi Risse and our entire food and nutrition services team go to incredible lengths not just during the school year, but all year, to ensure children have access to high quality, healthy meals accompanied by unlimited fruits and vegetables,” Superintendent George Arlotto said in a press release. “This report reinforces the work our team does every day to create communities of wellness that start with our children.”

During the 2018-2019 school year, AACPS’ Division of Food and Nutrition Services served approximately 5.9 million lunches, 3.4 million breakfasts, 115,000 dinner meals, and 100,000 summer meals. The school system is offering summer meals from Monday through Thursday again this summer at 46 locations, summer mobile meals stops at 21 locations, and a weekly Farmer’s Market from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays at Brooklyn Park Middle School.