DALLAS—This fall, Dallas ISD school cafeterias are meeting challenging new federal nutrition standards for school meals, ensuring that meals are healthy, well-balanced and provide students all the nutrition they need to succeed at school. Although the price of school meals will increase to $1.25 for breakfast and $1.75 for lunch, school cafeterias still provide the most economical and nutritious meals around, making it a great time to encourage kids to choose school lunch.
School meals offer students milk, fruits and vegetables, proteins and grains, and they must meet strict limits on saturated fat, trans fat and portion size. Starting in the 2012-2013 school year, school lunches will meet additional standards requiring:
· Age-appropriate calorie limits
· At least one serving of vegetable or fruit
· A wider variety of vegetables, including dark green and red/orange vegetables and legumes
· Fat-free or 1% milk (flavored milk must be fat-free)
· More whole grains
· Less sodium
The district’s Food and Child Nutrition Services continues to offer Dallas ISD students healthier and tastier choices and will be working with local chefs on the “Chef’s Move” initiative and partnering with local registered dietitians to promote more nutrition education and healthy cooking tips for children and their families.
School meals continue to be a great value and a huge convenience for busy families. Although prices will increase by 25 cents, the school meals are still the best value for a healthy meal for your child. The breakfast meals will now be $1.25 and a lunch meal will now be $1.75. Students will need to bring their money each day from the first day of school to purchase a meal. Meals may also be prepaid online through meal pay plus at http://www.dallasisd.org/Page/929.
Parents may apply for free or reduced priced meals online at http://www.dallasisd.org/Page/929.
Cafeteria staff will be on campus starting August 20 through the start of school to assist with the application process.
Academic success is dependent on students starting their day with a nutritious breakfast. Many schools offer a FREE breakfast as part of the Breakfast in the Classroom Program. Already 60 schools are participating in the program and more schools will be phased in over the school year.
To find out more about Dallas ISD healthy school meals, go to http://www.dallasisd.org/Page/930 and to get the facts about school meals visit www.TrayTalk.org.
