Feds Dish out Proposed New Standards for School Meal Menus

January 14, 2011

By Heller on January 14, 2011

Jicama, whole wheat pasta, kiwi fruit and chef salad are some of the nutritious

offerings that could nudge aside old standbys on school lunch menus under new

standards proposed by federal officials to help combat childhood obesity.

The proposal announced Thursday would be the first update to school nutrition

standards in 15 years, and it follows President Obama’s signing last month of a

child nutrition bill. The standards would add more fruits, vegetables, whole

grains and fat-free and low-fat milk to school meals. Schools would also be

required to cut salt content by more than 50 percent and limit levels of

saturated fat, calories and trans fats.

“The United States is facing an obesity epidemic and the crisis of poor diets

threatens the future of our children — and our nation,” Agriculture Secretary

Tom Vilsack said in a news release. “With many children consuming as many as

half their daily calories at school, strengthening nutritional standards is an

important step in the Obama administration’s effort to combat childhood obesity

and improve the health and well-being of all our kids.”

The new standards would cover nearly 32 million children who participate in

school lunch programs every day, along with nearly 11 million who have breakfast

at school. Destined to be bumped from school menus are such venerable items as

hot dogs, burritos, chocolate milk and Tater Tots.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 17 percent

of children and adolescents 2 to 19 years old are obese, and the number of obese

children in this age range has tripled in the last three decades.

The newly signed child nutrition bill, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of

2010, would help schools pay for the healthier foods, which are often more

expensive. The Dallas Morning News reports that several Dallas area schools have

already ditched nachos for brown rice and hummus.

The Department of Agriculture will be receiving public comments on the rules

through April 13.

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