Maria Sosiak
Students line up every day to receive their lunch provided by the
school. To them, it is just simply a meal to get them through their day, but to
Renee Hanks, Director of Food Services, the preparation behind every single
meal is much more. Dealing with students, who can be some of the toughest
customers, Hanks has to find a happy medium between satisfying her customers
while also staying within the New York State nutrition regulations.
When
asked, high school students said that they believe the lunches are too small
for the high prices. The same students believe that after eating lunch they are
hungry for more food just shortly after. Those who feel this way are usually
having a slice of pizza or a food item from the à la cart section of the
cafeteria. A slice of pizza or salad is certainly not going satisfy a high
school student who should typically consume about 2500 calories a day. In
comparison, a hot lunch is $2.35, which comes with the daily special, along
with a piece of fruit, a vegetable, milk and also beans must be served every
week. These five food groups contain 60% whole grains and add up to about
750-850 calories
per meal.
These
regulations were determined in 2010 and were supported by our First Lady,
Michelle Obama. The HHFKA (Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act) is consistently
working toward their goal of making a healthier life style for all children.
They are also hoping to reduce the amount of obesity in the world. Schools are
constantly trying to improve their foods, and something as simple as
transitioning from iceberg lettuce to dark greens may seem easy, but a small
change, such as this, could steer students away from school lunches, since the
healthy eating lifestyle may be new to them. Renee Hanks says how high school
students, who believe these changes are unexpected. have a harder time adapting, compared to elementary school
students who are growing up with the healthier foods. Another problem regarding the healthier options is that the
adjustment may be tough for those students who are used to eating iceberg lettuce,
or a much larger portion at home compared to the portions served for lunch.
With
every change, Hanks takes the students' opinions into consideration. She hopes
to meet the necessary expectations, but at the same time also hopes that those
who eat the lunches are gaining more of a positive attitude about them. This
can make for a new and improved food service for many people. Hanks states,
"We are working very hard to find foods that meet all of the new HHFKA
("Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act") regulations and that are acceptable
to our student customers and affordable to serve. We are constantly trying new
whole grain products and new recipes that will be acceptable next year when
100% of the grains we serve will have to be whole grain."
So
students, before picking up that slice of pizza or caesar salad, just think.
For about a dollar less, you can get every food group served onto your plate.
School lunches are no longer characterized by "mystery meat," rather
they are "nutrition packed." Realize that the lunch services are
trying to match your needs, but also dealing with the difficulty of restraints.
And lastly, remember, whether it is a cookie or the crust of your pizza, you
can not escape whole grains!
