It was only a matter of time before stricter cafeteria restrictions made their way to the district. Following the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, a new U.S. Department of Agriculture proposal to tighten cafeteria food restrictions will be implemented in the 2012-2013 school year.
The proposed legislation marks a much-needed change for school districts nation wide but a disconcerting exposure of how far the district is from meeting new standards.
According to the Shawnee Dispatch, proposed legislation includes weekly servings of dark greens, orange vegetables and legumes, daily fruit servings, limits on starch, more whole grain-rich foods and most notable, drastic cuts to sodium levels.
To meet new restrictions, many district meals will need to cut sodium levels in half to meet the proposal.
“The final 10-year target for breakfast would be a cap of 430 milligrams of sodium for elementary students, 470 milligrams for middle school students and 500 milligrams for high school students. For lunch the current limit of 1,377 in elementary schools would be reduced to 640 in 10 years. The middle school limit of 1,520 would be reduced to 710 and the high school limit of 1,588 would drop to 740 in 10 years,” the Shawnee Dispatch reports.
The statistics say it all. The cuts that will be necessary to meet new guidelines are almost overwhelming. Granted, ten years is a generous amount of time to implement new guidelines. However, to continue to be an outstanding district across the board in the future, merely meeting these restrictions within the time constriction may not be enough.
In the past, the district has introduced more fruits and whole-grain buns, limited desserts and removed whole and two percent milks. Now the district should take new regulations in stride to meet new restrictions.
If the district wants to send a message on the importance of health to students, it must be consistent and determined to make school meals healthier. When approaching new restrictions, the district should consider the message it is sending students.
Currently, the district sends some disconcerting messages. Unhealthy food options like Pizza Hut and Mr. Goodcents can be found in ala-cart every day across from a wilted and less than appetizing salad bar. Meals across the district are in many cases more than double the new restriction levels.
To continue to be at the forefront of districts in the nation, our administration must seize this opportunity to meet new restrictions.
In adjusting meals to meet restrictions, the district should meet demands farther into the future than is necessary; instead of cutting sodium levels to 740 milligrams in high schools, the district should consider setting their standard even lower and complete requirements sooner than necessary.
Although ala-cart options reap profit for the school, fast food cannot remain in the cafeteria if the district wishes to send a message of nutrition to students. In meeting new guidelines, the district should also begin to think of fresh fruit and vegetable options to encourage student purchases of previously unfamiliar foods.
The district should also consider implementing the proposed changes in full before the 10 year deadline is complete. The deadline skips over a whole generation of graduating students who will miss out on healthy eating options in the school cafeteria. Ten years seems drawn out and unnecessary.
The new proposed legislation undoubtedly exposes some big questions of district obligations of health; however, in meeting the new legislation, the district has an extraordinary opportunity. I hope the district goes beyond legislation to ensure more than the minimum nutrition required for students nation-wide. Cafeteria workers take extraordinary pride in serving students and the district has done a good job of meeting nutrition challenges in the past.
If the district makes it a priority to exceed expectations in meeting this challenge, students and staff will benefit from quick action and the district will continue to continue its positive reputation in the future.
