USDA has changed the National School lunch for the first time in 15 years. Why? The USDA recognizes the fast paced obesity epidemic in our country. The new meal pattern, Food Based Menu Planning, has specific guidelines some of these are: wider variety of fruits and vegetables, more whole grain rich foods, 1% milk or less, saturated fats, calories, and sodium have minimum and maximum.
School lunches have 5 portion controlled components offered. They are:
Meal or meat alternate (protein)
Fruit (100% juice, light syrup, fresh, and frozen)
Vegetables (dark green, red/orange, legumes, starchy, and other)
Grains (50% of weeks servings must be whole grain rich)
Milk (variety of 1%, skim, flavored fat free)
Did you know we offer these type food items on your child's lunch menu?
Some of the items are or contain:
Made from scratch, whole grain rich, natural with no artificial preservatives, contain 0 Trans fats, no high fructose corn syrup, meet Alliance for Healthier Generation guidelines, baked in place of fried.