bg

1. The Benefits and menu of
School Lunch
[group 5 ]

2. Agenda
• Background
• School Lunch Benefits
• Saving Time and Money for Families
• School lunch includes

3. Why do School Meals Matter
• School meals provide the nutrition children need!
• Children who participate in the National School Lunch Program have superior
nutritional intakes compared to those that do not participate
• Proper nutrition improves a child’s behavior, school performance, and
cognitive development
• Properly nourished children more actively participate in the education
experience
• A healthy eating environment teaches children good nutrition and the
elements of a proper diet, which can have positive effects on children’s
eating habits and physical well-being throughout life

4. Background

5. Advantages to School Lunch
• Variety
• Learning about healthy eating and
portions
• Food safety

6. School Lunch and Nutrition

8. School Lunch and Learning
• Provides energy to fuel body and minds
• Provides key nutritients
• Hungry students are at risk for poor
school performance

9. School lunches include
• Fresh fruits and veggies
• Whole grains
• Reduced/zero TransFats
• Salads/salad bars
• Lowfat dairy
• Baked items rather than fried
• Healthy cooking

11. What to put in healthier school lunches
• Fruit - best choices include fresh or tinned fruit. Dried fruit
is sticky and high in sugar, so have it occasionally.
• Vegetables - try fresh crunchy vegetable sticks with dip or
a small container with mixed vegetables such as cherry
tomatoes, carrot sticks, capsicum and cucumber.
• Milk, yoghurt or cheese - you can use reduced-fat options
for children over the age of 2 years. For children who
cannot tolerate milk products, offer appropriate daily
alternatives like calcium fortified soy or rice drink or soy
yoghurt.
• Meat or meat alternative foods - try lean meat (like chicken
strips), a hard-boiled egg or peanut butter. If your school
has a nut-free policy, peanut butter and other nuts should
not be included in your child’s lunchbox.
• Grain or cereal foods - like a bread roll, flat bread, fruit
bread or some crackers (wholegrain or wholemeal
options).
• Drinks - tap water is best.

12. Tips for healthy lunchboxes
• Cut up large pieces of fruit and put them in a
container – this makes it easier to eat,
especially if your child has wobbly teeth or if
they have less time to eat than they are used to.
Send a damp face washer to help with extra
juicy fruit.
• Consider giving half a sandwich or roll for
morning recess, as this is an easy way to get a
healthy fill.
• In the hot weather, send frozen milk, yoghurt or
water, or even frozen orange segments. This
makes a great refreshing snack and helps to
keep the lunch box cool.
• Go for colour and crunch in the lunch box by
offering a variety of colourful vegetables and
fruit.

13. What not to put in healthier school lunches
• All sweet drinks such as fruit juices, fruit drinks,
cordials, sports drinks, energy drinks, flavoured
waters, flavoured mineral waters, iced teas and soft
drinks. These are high in energy (kilojoules) and
sugar, and can lead to weight gain and oral health
problems in children.
• Dried fruit bars and ‘straps’. These are low in fibre
and are also high in sugar and can stick to children’s
teeth, causing tooth decay.
• Dairy desserts, chocolate bars and muesli bars.
These are generally high in fat and sugar.
• Chocolate spreads, jams and honey in sandwiches.
These add extra, unnecessary sugar to the lunchbox
• Fatty, salty processed meats such as salami and
Strasburg.
• 'Oven-baked' savoury biscuits. These may sound like
healthier options, but some are just as high in salt and
fat as crisps.

14. Food safety and lunchboxes
• Food is usually stored in lunchboxes for several hours
and it is important to keep the lunchbox cool so that
the food stays fresh. Some tips to help keep
lunchboxes safe include:
• Choose an insulated lunch box or one with a freezer
pack.
• Pack a wrapped frozen water bottle or freezer brick
next to foods that should be kept cold (for example
cheeses, yoghurts, meats and salads).
• Perishable foods such as dairy products, eggs and
sliced meats should be kept cool, and eaten within
about four hours of preparation. Don’t pack these
foods if just cooked. First cool in the refrigerator
overnight.
• If making lunches ahead of time, keep them in the
fridge until leaving for school or freeze them in
advance.

16. •830MILLION
•school meals served per year

17. •4.4MILLION
• school meals served on a typical day

18. •23%
• of children live in poverty

19. •2MILLION
• children live in households that are food insec

21. Time and Money
Let us make the lunches!
Participating in the school meal
program saves families time and money

22. Healthy Lunches → Healthy Habits → Bright Futures

23. The USDA’s nutrition standards for schools
meals:
• Fruits and vegetables offered daily
• More whole grains
• Only fat-free or low-fat milk
varieties
• Calorie limits by grade
• Limits on saturated fat, trans fats
and sodium