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GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Healthy food is not always cheap, as the Greenburgh schools are finding out now that new federal school meal requirements are in effect.
Greenburgh Central 7 District Schools collaborates with Aramark, a wellness and education program, to develop the schools' menus. The district notified parents and students in August that the menu would be updated to accommodate the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program's guidelines, and so far, it's taken some getting used to, Esther Cao, Greenburgh's assistant food service director, said in a statement.
"While we have always set high nutrition standards for school meals, we support the USDA's updated meal requirements," Cao wrote in the statement. "Students have not yet fully adjusted to the new menus, but like any other change, it will take a little time."
Some of the changes include requiring half of the grain items to be whole grain, and for students to take at least half a cup of fruits or vegetables every day. These are the choices that raise cost concerns for Robert Campisi, Greenburgh's food service director.
"If you get a loaf of white bread at the supermarket, it might cost only $1. But a loaf of wheat bread might be $1.15. It's usually 10 or 15 percent more for wheat grain products," Campisi said.
In addition, the USDA requires fruit and vegetable servings to "be fresh whenever possible," according to the requirements. Fresh food goes to waste more quickly, meaning schools may have to buy it more frequently. Campisi said that it's too soon to tell what the full cost impact of the new program might be.
Edgemont School District operates through a type-3 contract, which does not take part in the national school lunch program because it has a la carte options for lunch, said District Assistant Superintendent Sue Sherkin.
"The rules are different when you don't offer free lunch," Sherkin said, referring to the federal reimbursement lunch program. "Here, the kids get more choices, which I say is fortunate. We have the nutrients, we have everything there and it follows regulations."
While Edgemont's a la carte menu offers a variety of healthy options, it comes at a price.
Freshman student Isaiah Ngowi said it's hard to choose healthy without spending extra money. He said hot lunches, which include pizza, burgers, nuggets and cheesesteaks, are only about $3. If he wants to get a wrap or a fruit salad from the a la carte choices, it's about $5 or $6, he said.
"There's always fruits and vegetables available," Ngowi said. "You just have to pay extra for it."
Comments (4)
We are all aware that junk foods are not good to our kids' health that's why preparing them a homemade lunch and snack will be more healthy for them. Finding time to make school lunches for your kids can be a challenging prospect as you are attempting to get ready to work, too. It is tempting to just give them lunch money or to toss a Hot Pocket and an apple into a bag. But you know your children should have something healthier. You can send them off with a better alternative that is easier on your budget by planning ahead and planning the night before. Read more here
Well first of all Aramark not a wellness and education program. It is a nation wide corporation that handles food services for federal and state prisons, hospitals and schools. So when you see changes in food mandates remember that Aramark is likely to make more money somehow. Please don't believe the spin that the Federal Government is really interested in the food choices for children.
Secondly, and more obvious, why is a school district providing free lunch to children (even if it is reimbursed by the feds). Where are the parents? I don't understand why it is so much to ask for people to be responsible for themselves and their own children. If the school must provide lunch, it should not be done for-profit, but if the meal costs the district $3.75 to prepare, then the student should come to school with the $3.75 or their own lunch. At some point people have to be asked to take care of themselves and stop relying on the government.
This article says a lot...and not about food.
Sherkin's comments stopped me cold: so it's fortunate not to offer free lunch to those who may need it? wow. That's quite an empathetic display...not.