Historic Improvements to School Meals Will Mean Healthier Kids in Blue Island
Last week, USDA announced new meal requirements that will raise standards for the 1st time in more than 15 years and improve the health and nutrition of nearly 32 million kids that participate in school meal programs every school day. The healthier meal requirements are a key component of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which was championed by the First Lady as part of her Let’s Move! campaign and signed into law by President Obama.
The final standards make the same kinds of practical changes that many parents are already encouraging at home, including:
- Offering both fruits and vegetables every day of the week;
- Substantially increasing offerings of whole grain-rich foods;
- Offering only fat-free or low-fat milk varieties;
- Serving proper portion sizes based on the age of children; &
- Increasing the focus on reducing the amounts of saturated fat, trans fats and sodium.
Check out the Before & After menu comparison below
