I caught a part of a webinar today that included speakers from the USDA and the Food Research and Action Center. The title of the webinar was "What You Need to Know to Make the Most of the New School Nutrition and Wellness Improvements." It had to do with the recently passed Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (P.L. 111-296).
In a way this is like the Act that was passed in regards to tobacco regulation. Many stipulations and rules were legislated that have to be broken down and implemented over time.
With regard to the Healthy Hunger-Free Act, the USDA which oversees the federal school lunch program, is tasked with taking the regulations and creating standards, rules and guidance to implement them. The standards won't be ready for another year and in fact, public comment is requested.... After the standards are posted, schools have a certain amount of time to meet them, once met, the schools receive an additional six cents per child per meal.
Much of what was said today is awesome and impacts what children eat and drink throughout the day at school - all foods. There will be less fat, salt and sugar and more fruits, veggies and fiber. The RDAs and upper limits of nutrients for adults that were recently revised for the Dietary Guidelines of Americans are to be followed in the schools as well.
For today's post I just wanted to share these two NEW things...
Water must be offered at all meals at no cost. All milk must be LOW fat - I say I said, no whole milk. The children will receive 1% and skim. Flavored milk is discouraged, but when provided it has to be skim - fat free and flavored or a little fat but no flavor.
Why might this be? Why are our kids not receiving whole milk or 2% milk? Because as a country or a population, we consume far too much saturated fat and one of the easiest ways to reduce that is changing to fat free dairy products. Milk (without fat) it'll do a body good :)
