School district promotes healthy eating habits in the classroom
USDA calls Novato a model of nutrition education
Novato’s nutrition education program received praise Thursday from U.S. Department of Agriculture officials, who called the district’s efforts to put local produce in its schools’ cafeterias a model for the nation.
“You are one of three school districts in California that are considered models for how we are trying to improve the school lunch program,” said Allen Ng, western regional administrator for the USDA’s food and nutrition service. He also praised Southern California’s Riverside and Ventura school districts during a presentation at Novato High School. In particular, USDA officials singled out the Novato schools’ gleaning program in which students, parents and other volunteers gather vegetables and other crops left over after a harvest at a local farm.
“Simply because of aesthetic requirements, 20 percent of our food gets left in the field,” said Helge Hellberg, executive director of Marin Organic, which sponsors the program. “Harvesting that food allows schools to get some of its food for free and purchase local, organic food from our growers at below-market prices.”
Update: Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act
An update on HR 5044, The Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act
The Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act (H.R. 5504) will dramatically improve children’s access to nutritious meals, enhance the quality of meals children eat both in and out of school and in child care settings, implement new school food safety guidelines and, for the first time, establish nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools. (Original bill text)
This new legislation, which was amended and passed by the Committee on July 14, 2010, will answer President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama’s call to reduce childhood hunger and support school and community efforts to reduce childhood obesity. (Supporters of H.R. 5504)
Foods served in schools should promote the health of all children.
The Healthy School Lunch Campaign, sponsored by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), is dedicated to improving the food served to children in schools by educating government and school officials, food service workers, parents, and others about the food choices best able to promote children’s current and long-term health.
Menus in most school lunch programs are too high in saturated fat and cholesterol and too low in fiber- and nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes (see PCRM’s 2008 School Lunch Report Card). Major changes are needed to encourage the health of the nation’s youth and to reverse the growing trends of obesity, early-onset diabetes, and hypertension, among other chronic diseases, in children and teens.
