Florida Schools Ready To Celebrate Healthier Lunches

ocps.net

National School Lunch Week begins Monday.

Schools around Florida have activities planned to promote new, healthier menus.

Federal requirements were put into place this year as part of the National School Lunch Program. Fruits and vegetables must be offered every day to students eating school lunch.

Jackie Moalli, Outreach Manager with the Florida Dept of Agriculture and Consumer Services, said the schools will partner with professional sports teams next week to get kids making better choices.

“The team members have done public service announcements to promote healthy choices in eating fruits and vegetables as well as staying healthy and active,” Moalli said. “As part of that program, the teams also have players, a mascot, and their cheerleaders visit our schools during certain times of the year.”

Teams that will visit schools next week include the Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat, Tampa Bay Rays, Orlando Magic and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Moalli said they’ll be “highlighting the importance of National School Lunch Week and the good menu items that are being served in our schools.”

Those menu items include half cup servings of fruits and vegetables, and limited amounts of breads and saturated fats.

This year’s theme for National School Lunch Week is “School Lunch – What’s Cooking?” The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said it’s “about celebrating and building awareness of the positive changes that have been made in school lunch programs across the country.”