Most African American youths are enrolled in public schools, and across the nation, statistics show that they comprise the majority of the students receiving free or reduced lunch, due in large part to the fact that their family’s income is between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level. The USDA recently proposed new nutrition standards for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. The changes came about as a direct result of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act which was signed into law this past December.
The new regulations would establish the first calorie limits for school meals ever, and attempt to gradually reduce the amount of sodium in meals over 10 years with the eventual goal of reducing sodium by more than half. The most significant changes to the lunch menu are the increase in fruits and vegetables — more than twice the current required amount. Also, the new requirements for specific types of vegetables will reduce the number of ways a cafeteria can serve potatoes.
This will mean no more French fries and tater tots for lunch every day. Although they are allowed, they will be served on a limited basis. School children would also consume more whole grains. Specific proposed nutrition standards for school lunches are: ½ cup of fruit per day for grades K-8 and 1 cup of fruit per day for grades 9-12 and ¾ cup of vegetables per day for grades K-8 and 1 cup of vegetables per day for grades 9-12
Calorie limits are given as daily maximum and minimum levels for different age groups — 550-650 for grades K-5, 600-700 for grades 6-8, and 750-850 for grades 9-12. These new standards only apply to address what is served by the school cafeteria. It does not ban foods that parents pack in their children’s lunches from home. Also, these new standards do not require congressional approval to take effect and, when finalized, schools will be required to meet the standards to qualify for government reimbursement on school meals. –torrance stephens, ph.d.
