1. Food Policy Checklist
In the last decade the Board of Education in LAUSD began to work on improving schools meals by adopting
various and progressive policies. Here is a checklist summary of these policies. Are these implemented at
your school?
Competitive Food
(Junk Food Sales) Quality & Appealing Food
Access
Communications, Parent &
Student Involvement
Nutrition Education
! Soda, and other high sugary drinks, are not available
for sale in schools
! “Junk Food” –high fat and high calorie snacks- are
not sold at school
! Only “approved” snacks will be for sale at student
stores and vending machines; (for details visit (http://
cafe-la.lausd.net/)
! All schools implement Breakfast in the Classroom
or a Nutrition Period
! Lunch service is set at appropriate times, 12:30pm
or before
! School bell schedules allow every student at least
20 minutes to eat a school meal and to ensure a
minimum of 70% meal participation of
average daily attendance (ADA)
! A variety of breakfast and lunch entrees, and fresh
fruits and fresh vegetables and salad bars (where
served) will be available throughout the meal period
! Public schools in California are required to provide
free, fresh drinking water where meals are served or
eaten
! Provide at least one vegetarian option that includes a
vegetable or fruit component in addition to the salad bar
! Provide a vegetable and fruit bar, where facilities permit, at
all schools
! Meals are low in fat, sodium, sugar, contain no trans-fats,
and there are no fried foods, whole grains are part of the
meals and there is no chocolate milk
! Fruits and vegetables purchased come from small to mid-
size farms and at least 5% are locally grown, within 200 miles
to ensure quality, freshness and taste
! Parents may request that principals print and post at
school sites cafeteria inspection reports that are on the
district website
! Established customer service expectations for
cafeteria staff are published
! Solicit student feedback on the menu via surveys,
focus groups, and taste tests
! Parents receive education on school food
programming and their input on the menu is collected and
incorporated in the development of a comprehensive
program to market cafeteria meals
! Display nutrition information of school meals in
the cafeteria providing clear and visual
information about the quality of school food both to
students and parents;
! Incorporate nutrition education into the
curriculum and link what is taught in the classroom
This policy checklist was created by:
For More Information Contact Elizabeth Medrano
http://www.facebook.com/healthyschoolfoodcoalition
323.341.5097