1.     What is the school lunch program trying to accomplish?

The goal of the program is to provide high quality, nutritious meals to all students for the lowest possible cost.

2.     Who is in charge of the lunch program in my child's school?

The Cook-Manager at each school is in charge of the day to day operations of their school kitchen.  The Director of School Food Services, Carol Brigham, supervises and coordinates the general operation of the program.  The Board of Education, represented by the Superintendent, makes the final decisions about the program.

3.     Who plans the school menus?

Menus are planned by the School Food Service Director with input from the Cook-Managers.  Students are welcome to suggest ideas and every effort is made to incorporate these ideas while remaining within the budget and USDA guidelines.

 

4.     Can schools serve any food they want?

Menus must meet federal school lunch requirements.  Meals are planned with the goal of providing students with one third of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for key nutrients and calories.  The USDA provides the School Food Service with any changes in the guidelines and the staff is updated regularly to insure guidelines are met.

 

5.      Are school breakfasts and lunches nutritious?

Recent Government Accounting Office (GAO) reports state “school meals are healthy and children who eat school meals consume more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy items than children who do not eat schools meals.”   Research has shown lunches from home include a sandwich and three times more snack foods. This combination contains more carbohydrates, fat, and sugar. Milk is included in all school lunches but very seldom in lunches from home.   School lunches sometimes get falsely accused of contributing to the childhood obesity issue but the research is evidence that school lunch plays a major role in keeping our children healthy

 

6.         Are school lunches high in fat, sodium and calories?

School meals are carefully planned to meet federal regulations and provide 1/3 of the students' Recommended Dietary Allowances and contain no more than 30 percent calories from fat and 10 percent calories from saturated fat averaged over the week. This information is printed on the parent monthly menu.
Food items such as chicken nuggets and pizza served in our schools are specified to contain limited amounts of fat and sodium. The nutrient content is different than those sold in local fast food restaurants. To reflect the new MyPyramid for Kids – Eat Right, Exercise, Have Fun recommendation whole wheat rolls, pizza crust, breakfast cereals, etc. and a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables are offered on menus. In addition special attention is paid to limit sodium and trans fatty acids.

7.       Are soft drinks and candy available to students during the school day?

No.  Schools in Connecticut are forbidden from selling soda.  The Coventry Schools have also agreed to comply with Connecticut’s Healthy Snack Inititive.  This means no candy can be sold at school and all snacks sold in the cafeteria or anywhere else in the school must comply with the published list 

8.     How much does it cost the school to prepare a student lunch?

The average school lunch costs $2.89 to prepare and serve, including the value of donated commodities in the meal.

9.      How can lunch be sold to students for a price so much lower than the cost?

The school receives federal and state funds for every meal it serves.  This reimbursement, along with the value of the donated commodities used in the meal, makes up most of the difference between what the lunch costs to prepare and what the student pays. Snack sales help close the gap between income and expenses.

 

10.    Why should my child buy lunch at school rather than bring it from home?

The school lunches assure that your child is receiving a nutritionally balanced meal.  More variety is easier to achieve through school menus.  Also, school lunches are less expensive to buy than a lunch of equal nutritional value prepared and packed at home.

 

11.   Is my child required to take every item offered for lunch?

No.  Students have the choice of declining one or two food items.  They also have the choice of accepting smaller portions of one or two items, provided they accept full portions of at least three items.  This helps solve the problem of students throwing away uneaten food while still giving students the opportunity to try new foods.

 

12.    Are there other advantages to my child's participating in the school lunch program?

Students learn good nutritious habits that provide a basis for better health throughout their lives.  School lunches contain a variety of foods and offer students exposure to new foods.  The well nourished student will generally have better attendance, be more attentive, and have more energy to cope with school day opportunities.

 

*The Coventry School Food Service thanks Penny McConnell of Fairfax Virginia Schools for portions of this information.