Montana school sets healthier standards on lunch food and beverage options

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Currently at Bozeman High School in Bozeman, Montana, students are still able to reach for their favorite soda or sports drink at lunch.

According to a local news article, earlier this year, the high school was selling 2,000 bottles of Gatorade a month.

Now, healthier beverages and school food recommendations from the schools’ 15-member Food Service and K-12 Nutrition Education commission will be heard on June 12th, 2016.

Soda’s and sugary beverages high in sugar and have been shown in studies to be linked to higher risks of tooth decay, diabetes and heart disease.

The commission committee hopes to change the beverage options at lunch, to allow healthier carbonated waters and juices, but take out the soda and sports drink options from the high school’s cafeteria and vending machines.

Bozeman High’s school board voted to drop out of the National School Lunch Program in 2015 after the food service lost $16,000 because of strict nutrition rules and an open campus lunch policy. However, the school is working on encouraging students to try new healthier school lunches by implementing homemade meals, buying local beef and vegetables, providing healthy marketing and offering taste tests.

The committee also suggest the school to offer more visible nutrition signs in lunchrooms, healthy snack options, add soup and salad bars and add more grab-and-go breakfast options, as well as suggesting that recess is held before lunch in elementary schools.

To learn more about healthier school food environments and it’s benefits for students, click here.

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84

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