Parents Portal
Question: How can having my child eat school food rather than packing his lunch affect his eating habits?
School meals are healthy meals. Keys to assist children with lifelong healthy eating habits are woven into all school meals.
First and foremost, healthy options are offered to all students of Norfolk Public Schools on a daily basis. Fresh pineapple, grapes, apples, oranges, carrots and other fruit/vegetable sides are coupled with whole grain bread, pasta, rice, and lean meat options. The daily reinforcement of these healthy selections is the first key to lifelong healthy eating habits.
All school meals meet portions established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines. This element is essential to the growth and development of any child’s eating habits due to the portion distortion epidemic that faces our nation. All fruits, vegetable, and whole grain sides are served in ½ cup portions and all meat is served anywhere from the 2-3 ounce range. Our homemade rolls and wheat buns are 1-2 portions of bread. Portion control is vital to the nutrition integrity of school meals and is the second key to lifelong healthy eating habits.
The national school breakfast and lunch program operate under the philosophy: Offer vs. Serve. This means that all students are given the freedom to select the option they desire. At the elementary level students are offered 4 entrée selections a day, middle school students are offered 5 entrees a day, and high school students are offered 7 different entrees a day. These selections include both hot and cold items. The freedom to choose the food they desire contributes to positive attitudes and perceptions towards food and is the third key to lifelong healthy eating habits.
Breakfast and lunch are free of charge for all free and reduced students. For the paid student, breakfast is $0.90 in all schools and lunch is $1.60 at the elementary level and $1.75 at the secondary level.
To share your good school meal experience or to learn more about school meals visit www.traytalk.org for more info!
See you in the cafeteria!
Christina Kepa, M.S. RD
