Note: This week we're focusing on back to school with food safety and nutrition advice for parents and kids. Check back all week for a different topic each day. 

By: Dayle Hayes, MS, RD

Thinking about packing a lunch box for your kids? Think again! Wondering how to fit breakfast into busy back-to-school mornings? Think breakfast at school! Wonderful things are happening in school kitchens and cafeterias all across the country – and your children can take advantage of them as they head back to the classroom this fall. 

School meals – including breakfast, lunch, and after-school snacks – are hot topics these days. Everybody – from the First Lady to retired generals – is talking about how critical nutrient-rich meals are for children’s health and academic performance. The great news is that the real school nutrition revolution has been going on for years. “Lunch ladies” (and gentlemen) from coast to coast have been working hard to serve up School Meals That Rock with delicious nutrition to fuel strong bodies and smart brains.

All the interest in school nutrition is good news for families who want good value for their food dollar. All across the country, school nutrition programs offer nutritionist-approved, kid-pleasing options – at great prices! Here are just a few of the wonderful nutrition deals that may be appearing on school trays near you:
• More breakfast options: Recognizing that hungry children cannot concentrate or learn new information, schools are offering breakfast in the classroom, grab-n-go breakfast, and breakfast after first period for older students.

• More locally grown and produced foods: To support local agriculture and provide the freshest food possible for students, districts are working with nearby farmers to provide a wide variety of local fruit, vegetable, bread, milk, and meat products.

• More whole grains: Options for whole grain breads, cereals, rolls, pasta, and tortillas – even pizza crusts and cookies – have exploded recently. (Secret note: The new whole grains are so yummy that your kids may not know they’re eating healthy!)

That’s just a taste of what schools are doing to help students be well-nourished, healthy, and ready to succeed. Thanks to some upcoming changes in the funding for school food programs, you will likely see more low-fat milk options, more entrée salads, more fruit and vegetables snacks, more nutrition education, and more school gardens. What a great time to be eating at school!

Two hot tips for getting the most from your school’s nutrition program:
1. Dig into the details of your school menus. Sometimes nutrition is actually “hidden” in familiar menu items. Take pizza for example. School pizza is often much different than typical fast food pizza – with whole grain crusts, low-fat mozzarella cheese, and even some extra vegetables in the sauce.

2. Be constructive with your concerns. If you have questions about your school’s meals (or wonder when you school will offer the options listed above), take the time to discuss your concerns directly with the school nutrition director. Listen carefully to what they are already doing – and find out how you can work together for the future health of all students.
 
Dayle Hayes, MS, RD, is Chair of the School Nutrition Services Dietetic Practice Group (DPG) of the American Dietetic Association. She helps agencies and organizations create healthier school environments across the country and blogs at Nutrition for the Future.