Austin ISD Offers Downloadable Breakfast, Lunch Menus For All Grade Levels

AUSTIN, TX -- So, what's for lunch this week? This is the question on the minds of schoolchildren, one of the joys of going back to school yet suffused with equal measures of excitement and trepidation (sorry, bad flashbacks to Sloppy Joe Fridays from back in the day).

Austin ISD officials have got this one covered. The school district has created a helpful link for students and parents where they can download all elementary, middle and high school menus.

How cool is that? (If only a certain reporter could've had this option back in the Dark Ages to foresee the aforementioned Sloppy Joe Friday).

On social media, District 6 Austin ISD Trustee Paul Saldaña reminds parents of this useful tool. Visiting the site, one sees a rather impressive and varied menu outlining both breakfast and lunch offerings.

From apples to mini-waffles and from chicken fajitas to turkey hot dogs, the variety of culinary options is delineated by day of the week and categorized under elementary, middle and high school menus.

Here's another thing some of us didn't have back in the day: The menus can be downloaded to aid parents in knowing what their children might be eating on a particular day of the week.

Knowing what one's child eats is particularly important in determining the day's nutritional value and the presence of allergens in students' food -- both of which are also detailed in the downloadable menus offered in the AISD portal.

We all know the importance of breakfast (that whole "most important meal of the day" thing), but a good lunch is also beneficial in giving students the energy needed to stay alert during class time.

"This is true whether the student is in elementary school, high school or college," according to the "our everyday life" website. "As long as the student avoids a heavy midday meal, which can cause lethargy and sleepiness, a healthy lunch helps maintain peak academic performance."

Health.com adds further insight into the importance of nutritious meals for students.

"School meals matter," its scribes write. "Just ask any teacher or parent and they'll tell you that children who lack proper nutrition have trouble focusing in school. Medical authorities and nutrition researchers have documented that youngsters who eat nutritious meals every day and lead active lifestyles tend to excel."

That message can't be understated: "More importantly, our schools are on the front line of efforts to improve childhood nutrition, our collective health, and the future of our great nation," Health.com officials write. "Improving the meals that our kids eat in schools is an important step to achieve that goal."

So go and check out those AISD menus, parents. To view them, click here.

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