School Lunch Options and Nutrition

Do you have questions about what kinds of food your child is buying for school lunch? What are some of the a la carte menu offerings, and how do schools determine what's nutritious enough for students to eat?

Penny McConnell -- director of Food and Nutrition Services for Fairfax County Public Schools -- and Erik Peterson of the School Nutrition Association were online Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 2 p.m. ET to discuss the nutritional value of menu choices available at public schools, including a la carte offerings.

Read Tuesday's article:

Sugar Over Substance (Post, Dec. 6)

Photos

McConnell is a past president of the School Nutrition Association and the Child Nutrition Foundation. She holds a B.S. from the University of Manitoba, Canada, and an M.S. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She is a registered (RD) and chartered School Foodservice and Nutritionist Specialist (SFNS). McConnell received the 1999 Silver Plate Award in the Elementary and Secondary School Category. McConnell also has been active in the Virginia and American Dietetic Association. She served as State President, Delegate, and Chair of the School Nutrition Services Dietetic Practice Group at the national level. She is the primary author of the "Position of the American Dietetic Association: Child Nutrition Services," "Finance section Foundation for Effective Leadership in School Nutrition Services" and "Evaluation and Procurement of Computer Technology chapter in Managing Excellence."

Peterson is Director of Public Awareness in the Government Affairs Center of the School Nutrition Association. He has worked for SNA for almost 5 years, previously serving as Program Manager with the Child Nutrition Foundation. Peterson received his BA from Georgetown in 1993 and his Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School at the University of Texas in 2000.

The transcript follows.

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Erik Peterson: Welcome to the discussion! Penny McConnell and I look forward to answering your questions on school nutrition.

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Washington, D.C.: What are the guidelines for determining what's a nutritious option to include in a school lunch menu?

Erik Peterson: Meals served under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) must, by federal law, meet nutrition guidelines based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. No more than 30% of calories can come from fat and less than 10% from saturated fat. School lunches must provide one-third of the Recommended Dietary Allowances of protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium and calories. These guidelines apply over the course of one week of school lunch menus.

Penny McConnell, MS, RD, SFNS: To ensure the nutrient standards are being met the school district is audited annually by the state office that oversees the program and every five years USDA completes a federal audit.

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Southern Maryland: Good afternoon, just a note to say that my daughter, a 17-yr-old high school senior, takes her lunch to school 90 percent of the time. She'll check out the monthly school menu for our school system ( www.ccboe.com/schoolmenus.pdf) and highlight anything she may want to buy but honestly the choices cannot be healthy and those few healthy choices, eg., salads and fruit aren't as good as what she can bring from home. Even a peanut butter and jelly sandwich has got to be more healthy than chicken nuggets or taco nachos. Check out the menu and you'll see why she brings from home.

Penny McConnell, MS, RD, SFNS: Thank you for your question. Every school district plans menus to reflect their student population's personal preferences and cultural restrictions and to reflect the federal nutrient meal pattern requirements. These limit the amount of fat and saturated fat allowed and average over the week.

Chicken nuggets served in school cafeterias meet these fat, sodium, requirements and are not the same as those purchased at the local fast food restaurants. They are baked. In my school district students have a minimum of six daily menu options including chef salad and yogurt lunches.

I recommend you contact the director at the school district and share your concerns.

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Alexandria, Va.: Have seen a lot of news about plans to switch to more healthier lunches in schools with reaction from parents, but what are middle and high school students' reaction to potential changes to healthier lunches?

Erik Peterson: The reaction from students varies. With over 40% of districts we surveyed earlier this year implementing a la carte and vending standards that limit fat content to less than 30%, student participation often drops off at first. However, after students have had a chance to get comfortable with the changes, participation usually returns. Nutrition education and marketing the healthy choices plays a key role.

Penny McConnell, MS, RD, SFNS: In Fairfax County, we restricted french fries to three days per week in middle and high schools. In addition we have incorporated whole wheat breads, pasta, cereals, and pizza crust at all grade levels.

The middle and high school students have accepted the change and the whole wheat changes still get comments but they are accepting these.

In the elementary schools we have also limited a la carte to one item per day provided the student has a lunch from home or a purchased school lunch. This has been well accepted by the parents and school administrations. In the middle and high schools we have changed all a la carte to healthy snacks that meet Governor Warner's Healthy Initiatives criteria. These are stricter than USDA's and mean that only baked chips and cookies and ice cream with limited fat and sugar are available. They have accepted these changes after a couple of months.

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Arlington, Va.: In your position, do you often hear from parents about the food provided at schools? What kinds of feedback do you get? Thank you.

Erik Peterson: Both of us hear from parents often. I receive a number of questions on the nutrition guidelines for school meals as well as inquiries about food allergies and ethnic and religious needs associated with school meals.

Penny McConnell, MS, RD, SFNS: All school food service directors want to hear from their customers(the students) and their parents. In fact our managers complete a monthly customer report card where they interview students in their cafeteria using a series of questions. It is these questions that are reviewed in the central office and if their suggestions are positive and practical we incorporate them. For example a couple of years ago they asked us to post the nutrient content of all foods served on the menus. This is posted in each serving area for their review. The information is also available on our web site for parents.

We also publish an ingredient list for every item served in our program. This helps parents and students with therapeutic needs such as food sensitivities.

One challenge we continue to face and is requested is the addition of more Vegan options. We have tested products with the students and have only been successful with a few.

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Arlington, Va.: The driving force behind the sale of a la carte items seems to be money. Students buy these foods, which are not subject to federal nutrition guidelines, and the schools make money. French fries sell. What should school systems be doing to balance the need to make money from food sold at school with their responsibility to provide healthy foods?

Penny McConnell, MS, RD, SFNS: Teaching our children to make healthy choices requires a partnership of the parents, school food service professionals, and school community. I operate under the philosophy "we talk, serve, and teach nutrition." Income level does not negate parents from being role models for their children and research demonstrates that children practice what they see.

We do not operate as a money making entity as you can see from my philosophy. However, my school district expects us to be self supporting. We do not sacrifice nutrition for the bottomline. We do have federal criteria for healthy a la carte items but then it is up to the local school district to make theirs stricter. We have done that this year and do not offer food of low nutritive value in the a la carte menu.

McDonald's products are not cheaper than school meals. Our meals meet strict nutrient guidelines and have age appropriate portions. More important they include a variety of choices that satisfy individual preferences.

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Silver Spring, Md.: As far as I can tell, a school district has no obligation to provide lunches. If that is the case, then maybe school districts should get out of the business of providing lunches and leave it up to the parents/guardians of the children.

Erik Peterson: The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) was signed into law in 1946 to ensure that children were getting a nutritionally balanced meal at least once per day. With almost 17 million children each day eating a free or reduced price lunch I would argue that there is a moral obligation to provide a healthy meal to all children. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those with incomes between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals, for which students can be charged no more than 40 cents. In many cases a healthy school meal accounts for the majority of the fruits, vegetables, dairy and whole grains that students will consume throughout the day.

Penny McConnell, MS, RD, SFNS: Today there are so many families with both parents working that children would benefit from having a variety of nutritious breakfasts and lunches at school. More important, these meals can ensure the food is prepared and maintained in a safe state. Lunches brought from home are often not kept at safe temperatures and pose the risk of a food related illness.

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Northern Virginia: Can you provide a list of some of the a la carte offerings, as mentioned in today's article? Are these offerings balanced with other options, like fruits and veggies, for example?

Erik Peterson: A la carte options vary considerably nationwide and by grade level. In addition to the ones mentioned in the article I've seen little bags of baby carrots offered (and purchased) - usually served with a small side of lowfat ranch dressing to dip the carrots in. Sliced apples are common at the elementary level too. At the high school level you often see trail mix, granola bars, little 'shaker' salads, bagels with cream cheese. SNA members nationwide report that milk (flavored, lowfat varieties especially) is one of the most popular items. Students who bring a bag lunch from home often purchase the milk to go along with their meal. Water is another popular one at all grade levels.

Penny McConnell, MS, RD, SFNS: If you contact me at 703-813-4800 I would be happy to send you a list of the a la carte items that we offer at the middle and high schools. These meet strict nutrient guidelines.

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Washington, D.C.: In reviewing the few questions you have answered, not once did you tell parents who may be critical of the school lunch program to bring their own lunches.

What I get is an agenda from the panelists to encourage people to eat from the cafeterias, thereby raising revenue for the school districts, as well as, an increase in jobs for nutritionists.

Penny McConnell, MS, RD, SFNS: Our responses are not to ensure nutritionists have a job. As a nutritionist I believe that it is my responsibility to let the community know that students who attend school have the options of selecting a nutritious option for breakfast and or lunch. School meals are nutritious and age appropriate and often expose students to new foods. For example, when we offered jicama as one of our fresh vegetable options it was a new food to many of our students.

In my district we spend many hours in the classroom assisting teachers with nutrition education.

I believe it takes all of us working together to ensure the students today develop healthy eating and exercise habits so that they are ready to learn and become productive adults.

Erik Peterson: In fact, if you go by the research, school meals offered through the National School Lunch Program are the healthiest option children can eat for lunch at school. Research by Dr. Alice Jo Rainville of Eastern Michigan University concluded that students who eat NSLP school lunches consume less calories from fat than students who bring their lunch from home. Furthermore, the research found school lunches contain three times as many dairy products, twice as much fruit and seven times the vegetable amounts as lunches brought from home.

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Montgomery County, Md.: I have concern with the a la carte choices made available at the elementary school level. Why are children at this age having access to ice cream, cookies and chips? Are local and state governments looking at regulating what is available to the youngest children?

Penny McConnell, MS, RD, SFNS: Yes local and state governments are implementing stricter guidelines for a la carte options. Maryland has a new state standard that their school districts are implementing. In Virginia the Governor's Healthy Initiatives is only a recommendation but I have implemented them in Fairfax County.

By July 1, 2006 every school district in the nation is expected to develop a Wellness Policy. An important aspect of the policy is the nutrient content of foods sold as a la carte and in fundraising initiatives, etc. However, more important the Policy addresses physical education, classroom parties, nutrition education. The guidelines are available on the USDA web site.

Erik Peterson: The Local Wellness Policy requirement - mentioned in the article as well - is an excellent opportunity for parents to become involved. Local school districts and school nutrition programs are making changes: a 2005 SNA Trend Survey found that 65% of schools districts are limiting the hours of operation and/or the availability of vending machines remains the most popular nutrition policy in place in school districts. The survey also found that 49% of respondents' districts have increased the availability of healthier beverages in vending machines. About 40% of districts have limited the fat content of a la carte and/or vending items, and 37.3% are offering vegetarian options as a la carte options.

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Homeroom: What a drag! I thought the little Uncrustables were a nice, healthy, PB & J snack and I carry 'em around myself.

Penny McConnell, MS, RD, SFNS: I offer the Peanut Butter and Jelly Uncrustable as a daily lunch option and serve the one made with whole wheat bread. In that context it is a nutritious item because the fat content is considered part of the entire lunch which would also include two servings of vegetable and fruit and milk. The federal regulation allow us to average the fat content over the week and in that respect it meets the USDA guidelines.

I think it is very important to consider the nutrient content of one's entire meal and not the entree.

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Alexandria, Va.: Are private and parochial schools also bound by the same Federal rules for nutrition content? The lunch menu at my son's catholic school is absolutely dreadful. Fat, sugar, very little protein, fruit or veggies, mostly pre-prepared foods, like "potato smiles", Dominos Pizza on Thursday, hot dogs, and - the kicker, the opportunity to buy ice cream each day. What young elementary schooler is willing/capable of making a healthy choice and forgoing ice cream??

The first lunch period - my son's - is at 10:35! So, if given the opportunity (I pack his lunch each day), he would be pumped full of sugar and preservatives mid-morning and then be expected to sit and learn the remaining 4 hours.

A number of us parents are beginning to look at how to change the menu, but we're unsure where to begin.

Penny McConnell, MS, RD, SFNS: I think it would be important for the parents to meet with the school administration. They should discuss their concerns and see if together some resolution can be made to the benefit of the students.

Erik Peterson: Private and parochial schools can participate in the NSLP but less than 5% or so of schools in the NSLP are private/parochial.

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Penny McConnell, MS, RD, SFNS: Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your questions on the national school lunch program. You are welcome to visit the Fairfax County Web site for additional information.

www.fcps.edu/fs/food

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Erik Peterson: Thank you for your questions! To learn more about healthy school meals see www.schoolnutrition.org

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