with the school lunch. Many programs do, however, offer à la carte choices for students who
don't want the hot meal. Foods sold à la carte separate from the main meal and are priced
individually. These foods do not have to meet the same nutritional standards as the foods on the
hot lunch menu. Neither do the foods sold at a snack-bar or those foods available elsewhere in
the school.
A study in one Texas school district compared the lunches of fourth graders who did not have
food choices with those of fifth graders who could choose either a standard lunch or select from
a snack-bar. The fourth graders ate 25% more fruits and vegetables than the fifth graders.
Food sold as fund-raisers can also have an impact on school lunch. The money raised is important
to provide needed funds for many after-class activities. But the meal's overall nutritional quality
usually goes down. Many of these foods are high in fat, sugar, or both, and often come in
extralarge portions. Fundraisers rarely sell fruits and vegetables.
Choosing Wisely
School food-service programs are trying to please students, and still offer quality, nutritious
meals at low cost. That task isn't easy. One school district in New York decided to do something
about it. A student advisory board kept the food-service director up-to-date on what the kids
wanted. They also worked with school snack-bars to sell smaller servings of chips and candy.
You can make healthy meal choices at school even when not-so-healthy choices are available.
You can be sure to get a nutritious meal when you pick foods from the Food Guide Pyramid. For
example, always drink milk or a calcium-rich juice for lunch. Even chocolate milk is more
nutritious than soda or a sports drink. Stay away from snack foods offered à la carte. They may
fill you up now, but the ones that contain a lot of fat and sugar will slow you down later. Always
eat the fruits and vegetables offered at the meal. They help give you the energy and vitamins you
need to get you through the rest of your school day.
Some people like to make fun of school lunches, but good nutrition is no laughing matter. Your
school's hot lunch is based on the Food Guide Pyramid, so it's full of nutrition. Give it a try. You
might be pleasantly surprised.
It's a Team Effort
Team Nutrition is a program that gets schools excited about healthy eating. Schools across the
nation pick a team leader who develops fun nutrition activities. The leader works with students,
teachers, parents, food-service workers, and people from the community. Activities can range
from running a school health fair to planting a garden.
At the Jordan Community School in Chicago, Illinois, one group of fifth graders showed off their
"pizza( 比 萨 饼 )garden" in a big, colorful poster showing vegetarian pizzas. The students and
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