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School lunches under review

By Josh Ault  bio|e-mail

FLORENCE, AL (WAFF) - A new nation wide push is in effect to get more fruits and vegetables in school cafeterias.

Some feel nation wide standards are lacking.

Tuesday was burrito day at Weeden Elementary in Florence.  If a child does not want a burrito, they always have the choice of going to the salad bar.

"It's hard to incorporate a variety sometimes," said Judy Patterson, who is the child nutrition supervisor for Lauderdale County Schools, "They get in a rut of wanting the same things."

She's always working to improve food quality, but doing it on the sly.

"We are trying to incorporate the healthier items without the children realizing it," she said.

Patterson said a new examination of federal and state guidelines is good, but you can always improve.

Some some state standards are higher than others.

The school system uses a special display, courtesy of the University of North Alabama, to educate students about eating healthy.  It shows the food pyramid, and has plastic foods for the children to touch.

Kathy Richey, who works for the school system and is also a UNA student, decided to try to get a grant to get $10,000 for Brooks Elementary in Killen.

"If you start young and teach them healthy habits," said Richey, "They will carry it through, influence parents."

She has until October 31st to finish writing the grant.

Both women said improving what kids eat at home is huge.

"Our parents can encourage children to eat healthy when they leave school," added Patterson.

The national standards for school lunches have not changed in 14 years.

One big challenge for lunchroom staff is using fresh fruits and vegetables before they go bad.

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