The State of Nutrition in Schools and Around the Country: Innovations are Possible

October 1, 2009 – Two new reports discuss the current nutrition landscape within schools and around the country.  The School Nutrition Association’s (SNA) “School Nutrition 2009 Survey” indicates that school nutrition programs have increased the prevalence of healthy options with peak gains seen in vegetarian offerings and low fat prepared/packaged foods.  Nevertheless, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) first “State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, 2009” reveals that there is still a lot that needs to be changed in this front as, currently, no U.S. state is meeting national objectives for consumption of fruits and vegetables.   

For the SNA report, over 1,200 school nutrition directors were surveyed within 49 states.  Results show that locally-grown fruits and vegetables are included on more menus as 37% of those surveyed indicate that they offer these items and another 21% of districts are considering offering them.  Additional food offerings at school districts include: fat-free or low fat milk (99% of districts); whole grain items (96.3%); salad bars or pre-packaged salads (91.1%); yogurt and yogurt drinks (87.9%); from scratch baked items (74.2%); and vegetarian meals (63.9%).  These results show that, despite the difficult economy, school nutrition professionals nationwide continue to provide children with high quality, nutritious foods and educate them on making the right food choices.  

However, the tough economy has forced nearly 60% of districts to increase their school lunch prices to keep up with the cost of preparation.  In addition, the report shows that participation in free/reduced meal program has increased across every grade level since 2005.  The report also indicates that 1) the variety of ethnic foods served in schools continues to grow as more school districts offer entrees that appeal to their students cultural tastes; 2) formal policies such as Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and nutritional requirements of foods and beverages sold by food service exist as guidelines on a variety of issues; 3) the majority of districts have not banned any foods due to food allergies; 4) meat, cheese/dairy and fruits and vegetables are the items most commonly purchased with commodity dollars; and 5) an increasing amount of districts are allowing parents to monitor or place limits on students purchases, with 78% of districts offering this feature. 

The CDC report, on the other hand, reveals that, on a daily basis, only 32% of high school students are eating at least two servings of fruit and only 13% eat at least three servings of vegetables.  The report highlights three key policy and environmental areas that need to be emphasized in order to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among the U.S. population: healthier food retail; food system supports; and the availability of healthier foods in schools.  According to the report, schools are in a unique position to influence and promote fruit and vegetable intake among youth, school staff, parents, and other community members. 

Innovating School Food for Better Health and Academic Outcomes

Enthusiasm is actually growing over the opportunity for school food systems to impact trends in the health of our nation’s children and communities.  Over 30 million children spend countless hours at U.S. schools, and although there is often a lack of kitchen infrastructure, complex procurement regulations and diminishing budgets, change is increasingly possible. 

Next Monday, join speakers from across the country who will share their experiences in transforming school food systems into healthier environments in the webinar “Innovations in School Food,” sponsored by the American Association of School Administrator’s (AASA) Healthy Communities Network.  Through this webinar, participants will be able to learn what innovations are happening, how they got started and what partnerships made them viable.  The panel will reflect on encouraging outcomes on their work, and discuss enabling policies and administrative procedures that contribute to sustainability.  Featured speakers represent a range of initiatives funded by the W.K.Kellogg Foundation, School Food FOCUS and the National Farm to School Network. 

When: Monday, October 5, 2009
Time: 2:00 pm EST

To register, click here.