NEW USDA MEAL PATTERN & NUTRITIONAL STANDARDS

First Lady Michelle Obama has announced the new USDA School Meal Pattern and Nutritional Standards.  These new standards require that school lunches provide more fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat and fa-free milk, and reduce the sodium and fat content of meals, all within a set number of calories.

The new requirements include:

• Larger servings of fruits and vegetables
• Emphasis on dark green, orange, and red vegetable sub groups
• Reduction of sodium in meals over time
• Minimum and maximum calorie ranges
• Half the grains served must be from a whole grain source
• All products served will be free of trans fat
• Weekly requirements for beans and legumes

We are proud to say that we are steps ahead and have already implemented a majority of these changes.

When your child comes through the cafeteria line this fall, a fruit or vegetable must be on their tray as part of the new meal pattern.  Throughout the year, we will be celebrating these changes with fun promotions to encourage children to eat healthier!

GUIDELINES AT A GLANCE:

• Student must have 3 of 5 food components on lunch tray (milk, protein, fruit, vegetable, grains)
• Milk, protein and grains are optional choices for students; for example, a tray can have water over milk on it
• Fruit and/or vegetables are mandated; K-12 students must have at least 1/2 cup fruit or 1/2 cup vegetable or 1/2 cup of fruit and vegetable combination
• Food groups have very rigid minimum and maximum limits concerning calories, protein, breads, sodium
• Saturated fat must be less than 10% of total calories / 0 grams of trans fatty acids.