A Fresh Look at School Lunches

According to an article in October 2009 issue of timeforkids.com, Congress is taking a hard look at school lunch and experts agree that is is time for a change. A recent School Nutrition Association (SNA) study says most schools cook fewer than half of their main courses from scratch. Most school meals are likely to include processed foods, which are often loaded with salt, fat, and sweetners.

Experts also say that the time has come to change school lunch and it should come from locally grown ingredients. The Child Nutrition Act is set to expire soon and was created in 1966. The act sets aside $12 billion to pay for breakfast and lunch for 30 million schoolchildren. Soon, Congress will take a look at how that money is spent.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to change school nutrition standards this year. The standards have not changed in 15 years. They determine what is sold in school stores and vending machines. The standards also say what food can be served in schools.

Most school districts receive $2.68 for each free lunch they serve. This often is not enough to cover the cot of healthier foods. President Obama's 2010 budget set aside an extra $1 billion for child-nutrition programs. He wants schools to serve more fresh fruits and vegetables. Currently, only about half of schools serve these healthy foods every day.