School Lunch Program Makes Healthy Changes

Lunches throughout are getting a healthy makeover. Changes have started in the elementary schools and will continue to work their way up to the secondary schools over the next couple months.

The United States Department of Agriculture proposed a ruling earlier this year to make school lunches healthier by limiting calories and sodium and requiring schools to offer more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

While the ruling is not official yet, Jennifer Yee, the district's food service manager, has already begun making changes. Yee said she has been advised by Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency to slowly incorporate healthy changes to the school lunches over time so that the students aren’t shocked when it happens nationwide.

Yee doesn’t expect the changes to be official until the 2012-2013 school year.

The district already serves low-fat and fat free milk, and 100-percent fruit juice. Yee is advertising it more now so that parents and students are aware of it. Foods also are baked, rather than fried, including french fries and chicken nuggets.

Initial food changes include the addition of whole wheat rolls, romaine lettuce and more legumes. Elementary students have seen more peas, baked beans and green beans replacing potatoes. Mixed vegetables including peas and carrots and a wax bean mix have been introduced to students.

The changes have affected breakfast choices as well, including more whole grain choices in cereal and breakfast bars. Darlene Sieloff, a food service employee, said students have noticed the changes, but haven’t complained.

At , the biggest change has been the removal of the salt shaker.

Senior McKenzie Palchak noticed the change right away as she usually put salt on her mashed potatoes every Tuesday.

“They took my salt away!” she said. “I still buy the mashed potatoes. I just throw a fit about not having salt for them.”

Yee said she heard students may be sneaking salt packets into the lunchroom.

“I can’t stop them from using salt,” she said. “But, I don’t have to supply it.”

Palchak and her friend, Tori Stamper, said they buy their lunch at school every day and want healthy choices in the lunch line.

Senior Josh Simmons has only bought lunch a couple times this school year and said he'd be more likely to buy lunch if they were healthier.

“Sometimes I feel bad buying this stuff,” he said. “I just do it out of convenience.”

Yee added broccoli and cauliflower to the salad bar, but said students weren’t eating it. She also said students weren’t interested in fresh fruit or raisins when they were offered. She said banana peppers and olives have been a hit at the salad bar.

March is School Nutrition Month and the district celebrated it by having “lucky tray day." Students received books and ribbons if they selected a lucky tray.

Elementary schools saw more changes on the lunch menu earlier this month, including whole grain chicken patties, whole grain chicken nuggets and low-fat string cheese.

“I want to advertise (that) to the parents, but, I don’t want the kids to be turned off," Yee said. "I hope they don’t notice the changes.”

and high school students will see more changes to their school breakfast and lunch menus at the end of April, with even more changes in store for the beginning of the next school year in the fall.

The toughest changes for students to swallow may be the proposed changes in beverages. Eventually, schools may only be able to offer 100-percent fruit juice and low-fat milk in sizes of 8 oz or less. This would eliminate the 32-ounce Arizona Ice Tea and Gatorade drinks that are popular with many students. Most students said they would bring the drinks from home instead.

The high school also has a school store, The Post, and vending machines that sell snacks and drinks. Yee said if the changes aren’t enforced schoolwide, it will be tough to compete.

The school district has sent home a letter introducing the changes and asking parents to encourage their children to try new foods. The letter suggests parents involve children in grocery shopping for healthier foods and having them help in food preparation at home.

Yee said she hopes by making the changes earlier on in children’s lives, they will embrace the healthy choices, helping to reduce the obesity rate.

For more information or to view a daily school lunch menu, visit the school district’s website.