Public schools in Nevada serving low-income families may soon be required to offer healthy breakfast to students who might not otherwise eat a morning meal. The bill, Senate Bill 503, would require free breakfast for all students in schools where 70 percent of students or more are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. State officials say 103 elementary schools now serve breakfast, but the bill could add another 120 to the program. Latinos make up the largest ethnic group in Nevada's public schools, according to a ...
A recent survey of parents in Kansas with K-12 students say it is important to serve nutritious food in schools, and 3 in 4 parents favor the healthy school meal standards in effect nationwide. The poll was released in April 2015 by the Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project. Among the findings: 96 percent of parents think serving nutritious foods in schools is important to “ensure that children are prepared to learn and do their best.” Parents backed the following standards in the national school meal guidelines: 98 percent support the requirement that schools include a serving of fruits or vegetables with every meal.
74 percent think schools should provide foods made from whole grains with every meal.
71 percent say salt should be limited. Additionally, ...
Approximately 30,000 more Oregon school children could have access to free school lunches starting with the 2015-16 school year under a new state budget provision, according to The Oregonian. Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed recently House Bill 5017, an appropriations bill that provides $2.4 million to fund a mandate that school districts provide free lunches to students who are eligible for reduced-price lunches under U.S. Department of Agriculture income eligibility guidelines. To put it simply, the bill makes school lunch free for all students in need, not just those that qualify. For 2015-16, a family of four will qualify for reduced-price lunch if their annual household income is less than $44,862, or 185 percent of federal poverty guidelines. The same family will ...
In a new study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, a team of researchers led by the University of Surrey, has found that front of package nutrition labels can enable consumers to make healthier food choices. "Front of package food labeling is an important tool in helping consumers to make healthier choices and to encourage the industry to provide healthier foods," said Professor Monique Raats from the University of Surrey who led the research. Read more ...
A healthy lunch can set kids up for school-day success, and for some kids, school lunch may be the only complete meal they get all day. A group in New York City is campaigning to make school lunch free for every public school student. Lunch for Learning is a broad, diverse coalition-based campaign that is working toward making free and healthy school meals available to all New York City public school students, regardless of income. Spearheaded by Community Food Advocates, Lunch for Learning oversaw the implementation of free school lunch in NYC middle schools from September 2014 to December 2014. The results? The schools saw increased participation in the lunch program by more than 8 percent, and a reduction in food insecurity for many students in the city. Read more about their ...
Dallas, Texas, like many large cities across the country, has neighborhoods where corner stores greatly outnumber full-service grocery stores. At corner stores, kids are more likely to grab junk food rather than healthy fruits and vegetables---if they are even available. 49% of Dallas County children are either overweight or obese, but the community is coming together to make corner stores part of the solution, not part of the problem. Children at Risk, a research and advocacy group, has been bringing organizations in Dallas together to research healthy food access and brainstorm solutions. They partnered with The Food Trust to release a report in early 2015, Food for Every Child: The Need for Healthy Food Retail in the Greater Dallas Area, that identified gaps in fresh food ...
Lawmakers in Texas are hoping a new bill will improve nutrition and physical activity standards for child-care centers and public schools, places where children spend the majority of their day. The bill would develop healthy nutrition and physical activity guidelines for licensed child-care providers, public school teachers, and public school administrators. Latino kids make up over half the students in Texas public schools. The bill is scheduled for a public hearing in late April ...
The Sycamore Community School system in Cincinnati has been working to improve school food for years, even winning recognition from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation for the 2013-2014 school year. With an extremely diverse student body, the school has been making breakfast and lunch more ethnic, more healthy and more delicious. This year, the school system is ready to do more. According to Jessica Johnson, food service director for Sycamore Community Schools, they'll be going above and beyond new federal guidelines. “We’re focusing efforts this year on building district policies to reduce the number of school parties and non-food rewards, increase the availability of healthy options in meals, revamp our vending machines and fundraising policies, and getting our staff to ...
Alabama is the 5th most obese state in country, according to an article in Alabama News. While there are many ways to combat obesity, especially in children, a few state legislators and advocacy groups are hoping they've got part of the solution. In early April, state legislators introduced the Alabama Healthy Food Financing Act, which will enable grocers to receive low-interest rate financing from private foundations or federal grants and loans to locate or expand in low or moderate income areas of the state. The legislation would also support co-ops, farmers markets and food trucks. If passed, the bill would direct the Department of Agriculture and Industries to administer the financing program and would create eligibility guidelines and provide financing through an application ...
