School Lunches Due for Overhaul

(October 21, 2009) - School lunches could soon start to look very different, with a lot more fruit, vegetables and whole-grains. The National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program should adopt a new set of nutrient targets and standards for menu planning, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The recommended targets and standards would update and improve the programs' abilities to meet children's nutritional needs and foster healthy eating habits, says the IOM report.

The report's recommendations will bring school meals in line with the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Dietary Reference Intakes. (Read about "Dietary Guidelines") They will limit sodium (Read about "Sodium") and the maximum number of calories, and encourage children to eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The programs' current nutrition standards and meal requirements are based on the 1995 Dietary Guidelines and the 1989 Recommended Dietary Allowances.

Implementation of the recommendations will likely raise the costs of providing school meals - particularly breakfasts - largely because of the increased amounts of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain foods involved, stated the committee that wrote the report.

"The programs that nourish so many American schoolchildren need to reflect the latest child health and nutrition science given the extent to which dietary habits shape lifelong health," said committee chair Virginia A. Stallings. "Since the school meal programs were last updated, we've gained greater understanding of children's nutritional needs and the dietary factors that contribute to obesity, heart disease, and other chronic health problems. The changes recommended in this report are needed to assure parents that schools are providing healthful, satisfying meals."

The report updates the school meals programs' nutrition standards with a recommended set of nutrient targets that are higher for protein, vitamins and minerals (Read about "Vitamins & Minerals") and lower for sodium. The committee also set maximum calorie levels for the first time. Lunches should not exceed 650 calories for students in grades K-five, 700 for children in grades six-eight, and 850 for those in grades nine-12. Breakfast calories should not exceed 500, 550 and 600 respectively for these grade groups.

The National School Lunch Program is available in 99 percent of U.S. public schools and in 83 percent of private and public schools combined. The School Breakfast Program is available in 85 percent of public schools.