School Lunch Nutrition 101

Interested in the topic of school lunch nutrition? Here is a primer that we hope will help you get started.

National School Lunch Program: Who, What, When, Why, and Where?

• California Department of Education website answers many questions.
• California Food Policy Advocates school lunch program facts
• Free / Reduced School Meals: KidsData.Org provides facts and resources for San Mateo and other Bay Area counties

Why should you care about school lunches?

• National obesity epidemic in youth
  • Obesity rates increased in 31 states in 2007
  • Preventing obesity in youth through school based efforts, 2003 issue brief by the National Governors Association

Nutritional Standards in Schools: How do we make sense of it all?
Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools: Leading the Way toward Healthier Youth, published by the CDC Institute of Medicine.

• federally-reimbursable school nutrition programs should be the main source of nutrition at school
• opportunities for competitive foods should be limited
• if competitive foods are available, they should consist of nutritious fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat or low-fat milk and dairy products, as consistent with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA)

School lunch nutrition - paradigm shift in progress?

• School food becomes curriculum - Chef Ann Cooper, the "Renegade Lunch Lady," is among those leading the charge to transform the landscape of school lunches
• Many barriers keep fresh, organic food out of school lunches

Low income schools - a double standard for nutrition?

• Inconsistent access to food resources contributes to increased obesity among individuals in low income households
• Healthful foods are out of reach for low income families

School wellness policies: What are they? How is your school district faring?

• Healthy Kids Make Better Learners
• School Nutrition Association
  One section of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 requires that all school districts that participate in the National School Lunch Program have local wellness policies by July 1, 2006. The School Nutrition Association (formerly ASFSA) has put together tools to help assist the school community in dealing with this new requirement.

School food and health: What can you do about it?

• Excellent tool kit by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation for students to get involved and take action

Healthy School Lunches - a national movement?

• Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
• Center for Ecoliteracy helps us rethink school lunches

Organic food in schools?

• Organic school lunch programs expand

Irradiated Food?

• Public Citizen site focuses on irradiation of food in school lunches

Miscellaneous Resources

Nutritional Scoring Systems and Tools for Parents

Overall Nutritional Quality Index (ONQI-Yale Griffin Prevention Research Center)

The Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition The Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition is a partnership that brings together leading scientific researchers, communications experts and agricultural commodities. Our members are composed of 12 food commodity associations that represent the five basic MyPyramid food groups.