Ask the Expert & Contest: All About School Lunches

[Cafe Becky]

Do you have questions about nutrition in your kid's school? Do you want to know what your kid should be eating for lunch? Do you want to know how you can help your school--and your kids--make smarter food choices?  For the next part of our Back-to-School Bonanza, join us to get your questions answered by school lunch expert Helen Phillips!

Starting Monday, September 13, Helen Phillips will join the group to answer YOUR questions. Helen is an expert in child nutrition. She is President-Elect of the School Nutrition Association and Senior Director of School Nutrition for Norfolk Public Schools in Virginia

Ask your school lunch questions now and you could win a reusable CafeMom lunch bag!

Please post your questions as replies to this post. Helen will post her answers here as well.

Welcome and thank you for joining us, Helen Phillips!

[rkoloms]

I have a CafeMom lunch bag, and I love it!!

[DestMasters]

Thanks for being here with us Ms. Phillips! My question isn't so much nutrition specific as it is how school lunches "work". Let me explain.....

My daughter, who is in elementary school, is not allowed to have milk. Period. Not Lactaid or regular milk. We have a note from her doctor about this. Last year, she was able to substitute a juice for the milk, because of the doctor's note. Their typical lunch is the entree, two sides and a milk. She was getting an entree, two sides and a juice. Sometimes two juices as one of the "sides" can be a juice. If she wants water, it's an extra $1.25 for a bottle of water.

This year, she's not allowed to substitute the milk for juice....according to the school. If she wants juice, it has to be one of her sides. So in other words, unless we pay extra money and buy a juice, she loses either a fruit or vegetable. When I asked why, the cafeteria manager said it was a ruling that came from the district. I called the district and was told that it was a ruling by the USDA, that juice cannot be a substitute for milk even in children who can not have milk. They have to offer Lactaid. She said if they substitute the milk with juice, they could "lose the refund for the lunches".

I'm flabberghasted. First off, I'm paying, full price, for her lunch and yet the school district gets the money back from the USDA as well? Also, I'm not sure how not allowing a substitute to be made unless a child is giving up a vegetable or fruit is nutritionally sound.

Have you an insight on this?

[deedee3849]

Hello! Thank you for joining us to answer questions about school lunches.

I'd like to know what is the School Nutrition Association doing to make school lunches healthier? What steps have been taken for this school year?

[jessicasmom1]

Hello Helen , I was wondering also of the guidlines schools need to go by? What are the healthy steps to better lunches this year ?

[rkoloms]

Quoting DestMasters:

Thanks for being here with us Ms. Phillips! My question isn't so much nutrition specific as it is how school lunches "work". Let me explain.....

My daughter, who is in elementary school, is not allowed to have milk. Period. Not Lactaid or regular milk. We have a note from her doctor about this. Last year, she was able to substitute a juice for the milk, because of the doctor's note. Their typical lunch is the entree, two sides and a milk. She was getting an entree, two sides and a juice. Sometimes two juices as one of the "sides" can be a juice. If she wants water, it's an extra $1.25 for a bottle of water.

This year, she's not allowed to substitute the milk for juice....according to the school. If she wants juice, it has to be one of her sides. So in other words, unless we pay extra money and buy a juice, she loses either a fruit or vegetable. When I asked why, the cafeteria manager said it was a ruling that came from the district. I called the district and was told that it was a ruling by the USDA, that juice cannot be a substitute for milk even in children who can not have milk. They have to offer Lactaid. She said if they substitute the milk with juice, they could "lose the refund for the lunches".

I'm flabberghasted. First off, I'm paying, full price, for her lunch and yet the school district gets the money back from the USDA as well? Also, I'm not sure how not allowing a substitute to be made unless a child is giving up a vegetable or fruit is nutritionally sound.

Have you an insight on this?

What about a plant based milk? Honestly, this sounds like an ADA violation, and I would contact the ACLU

[SoniaL]

How can school lunches get away with counting french fries as a vegetable?

[SoniaL]

What is the best way to promote change in our children's school lunch programs?

[Helen_Phillips]

Hi everyone!  Thanks so much for your questions and your interest in school meals.  I'm so glad I can join the conversation this week - I'll do my best to respond to all the questions.   

[Helen_Phillips]

 

Quoting DestMasters:

Thanks for being here with us Ms. Phillips! My question isn't so much nutrition specific as it is how school lunches "work". Let me explain.....

My daughter, who is in elementary school, is not allowed to have milk. Period. Not Lactaid or regular milk. We have a note from her doctor about this. Last year, she was able to substitute a juice for the milk, because of the doctor's note. Their typical lunch is the entree, two sides and a milk. She was getting an entree, two sides and a juice. Sometimes two juices as one of the "sides" can be a juice. If she wants water, it's an extra $1.25 for a bottle of water.

This year, she's not allowed to substitute the milk for juice....according to the school. If she wants juice, it has to be one of her sides. So in other words, unless we pay extra money and buy a juice, she loses either a fruit or vegetable. When I asked why, the cafeteria manager said it was a ruling that came from the district. I called the district and was told that it was a ruling by the USDA, that juice cannot be a substitute for milk even in children who can not have milk. They have to offer Lactaid. She said if they substitute the milk with juice, they could "lose the refund for the lunches".

I'm flabberghasted. First off, I'm paying, full price, for her lunch and yet the school district gets the money back from the USDA as well? Also, I'm not sure how not allowing a substitute to be made unless a child is giving up a vegetable or fruit is nutritionally sound.

Have you an insight on this?

I share your frustration about the USDA rules on milk alternatives.  One look at the federal rule "Fluid Milk Substitutions in the School Nutrition Programs (73 FR 52903, September 12, 2008)" will give you a new appreciation for the complex regulatory challenges your school faces when running the lunch program!

The rule prohibits juice and water from being offered in place of milk as part of a school meal unless a doctor's note states that the student has a recognized disability which prevents the student from consuming cow's milk.

As for the issue of a refund for your daughter's paid lunch, USDA reimburses schools 26 cents for every lunch served to a full paying student and $2.72 for every meal served to a student eligible for a free meal.  With food and labor costs on the rise, those pennies are critical to keeping school meals programs up and running!  The national average cost of preparing and serving a school meal is $2.92, which puts schools under tremendous financial pressure as they work to further improve their menus. 

That's why School Nutrition Association (SNA) is calling on Congress to increase funds for school meals as part of Child Nutrition Reauthorization. 

The Senate has passed the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act, which increases the reimbursement rate by 6 cents.  SNA hopes parents will join us in calling on the House of Representatives to pass Child Nutrition Reauthorization before Congress goes out of session.  Ask your member of Congress to provide more funds for school meal programs and nutrition standards for all foods sold during the school day.  For more information, visit www.schoolnutrition.org/LegislativeAction.aspx.

 

[Helen_Phillips]

 

Quoting deedee3849:

Hello! Thank you for joining us to answer questions about school lunches.

I'd like to know what is the School Nutrition Association doing to make school lunches healthier? What steps have been taken for this school year?

(And in response to the question from Jessicasmom1 about guidelines for school meals)

Many parents don't realize that federal law requires school meals to meet nutrition standards limiting fat, saturated fat and portion size.  Specifically: 

- No more than 30% of calories can come from fat, less than 10% from saturated fat

- Meals must provide 1/3 of Recommended Dietary Allowances of protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium

- School meals are served in age-appropriate portion sizes

- Every school lunch must offer students a choice of milk, fruits and/or vegetables, proteins and grains.

School Nutrition Association is supporting efforts by school nutrition professionals to surpass these requirements.  In fact, a recent School Nutrition Association survey found that more than nine out of ten schools districts are increasing offerings of whole grain products and fresh fruits/vegetables; nearly 70% of districts are reducing sodium in foods, about two-thirds of districts are reducing added sugar and more than 50% of districts are increasing vegetarian options.  See http://www.traytalk.org/school-cafeterias-offering-healthier-options-this-fall/ for more information.