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Showing posts tagged with: k-12

SCHOOL NUTRITION NEWS: What the Ending of the COVID Waivers Will Mean for School Lunch Next Year

Dave
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Schools across the country aren’t even done with this school year yet, but they are already preparing for the next one.

Changes are coming specifically to the school lunch program. Earlier this year, Congress failed to pass an extension of the COVID waivers for the next school year, which could mean many different things for your and your child.

“As we transition to regular price meals during the school year, I would imagine our numbers will significantly decrease as well because we are capturing a whole demographic of students that don’t normally eat at school because it’s no charge this year, now they are eating,” said Anji Branch, with the Gooding School District.

For the past two school years, every child has been able to eat breakfast and lunch for free at school. Next year, however, parents will have to apply for free or reduced lunch.

Another change is with the meal pattern waiver, which holds schools accountable for what each meal is required to have: a meat, meat substitute, grain, fruit, vegetable, and milk.

“If we couldn’t get a product that was ok for K-12 menus, because we have very specific menu guidelines that we have to follow, we could use a product that wasn’t necessarily whole grain rich, or maybe it’s a little too high in sodium than we would normally allow, that we wouldn’t get penalized, and we won’t have that next year and that’s going to be a big problem,” said Becky Elmore, with the Post Falls School District.

 

FULL ARTICLE AVAILABLE HERE

SCHOOL NUTRITION NEWS: USDA Secretary Perdue, Under Secretary Lipps Join Kids for School Meals

PCS RCS
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School Lunch News From Around The USA

USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Brandon Lipps joined students in New Jersey, Virginia and the District of Columbia for wholesome school lunches.

Secretary Perdue visited Discovery Elementary School in Arlington, Va., where he met with the school’s nutrition professionals, and served the children meals before joining them for lunch.

Last year, USDA took action to provide menu planning flexibilities that underscore USDA’s commitment to assisting schools in serving nutritious and appealing school meals. Responding to school nutrition professionals, USDA began making changes to school meal program rules to provide more options and flexibility on whole grains, sodium, and milk. An interim rule making these changes, the “Child Nutrition Programs: Flexibilities for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Requirements” rule is now in effect. USDA plans to release the final version of this rule later this year.

 

Secretary Perdue visited Discovery Elementary School in Arlington, VA (USDA)

 

Acting Deputy Under Secretary Lipps  visited Eagle Academy Public Charter School (PCS) in Washington, D.C., where he ate with the students and toured their school garden.

Eagle Academy PCS received a USDA Farm to School Grant in 2017, which helped bring locally-grown produce directly to the lunchroom. “Farm to school gives schools the flexibility to serve appealing, seasonally-available foods, raised by local farmers,” Lipps said. “It is also a great tool for educating students so they understand that these nutritious foods are grown by America’s farmers.”

 

Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Brandon Lipps kicked off with a visit to Eagle Academy Public Charter School (PCS) in Washington, D.C.

 

Lipps joined students for lunch at Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School in Manalapan, N.J. During the visit, Lipps also met with the school’s food service management company and nutrition officials from the state of New Jersey. “Children all across America deserve world-class food service – and schools are best positioned to deliver that service in their communities,” Lipps said. “USDA is committed to providing the local flexibilities they need to do what they do best – serve our kids nutritious meals they want to eat.”

 

Acting Deputy Under Secretary Brandon Lipps eats his school lunch alongside students at Eagle Academy.

 

USDA’s FNS works to reduce food insecurity and promote nutritious diets among the American people. The agency administers 15 nutrition assistance programs that leverage American’s agricultural abundance to ensure children and low-income individuals and families have nutritious food to eat. FNS also co-develops the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which provide science-based nutrition recommendations and serve as the cornerstone of federal nutrition policy.

 

 

 

 

 

Via USDA.gov