Nutrition Standards for Meals |
School meals are delicious and nutritious.Our lunch menus comply with the USDA regulations meeting ⅓ of the daily dietary needs for protein, calories, calcium, iron, vitamin A & vitamin C.
Got Milk? We do.Milk is a nutrient rich package providing 9 essential nutrients including calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin B12, riboflavin, and niacin. Milks nutrients, especially calcium, are necessary for developing strong bones and teeth. Most importantly milk provides 3 of the 5 nutrients that fall short in children’s diets, including calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Each 8 oz. serving of milk provides 300 mg calcium which is equivalent to ⅓ to ¼ of the daily calcium requirement for children. Milk is offered as a part of every breakfast and lunch we serve. Flavored milk verses White milk.In a time where childhood obesity is on the rise many question why schools offer flavored milks. As mentioned above, milk is a nutrient rich beverage packed with many essential nutrients including ones found to be most deficient in children’s diets. Research shows that students will drink more milk when flavored verses no flavoring at all. As soft drink consumption increases milk consumption decreases. Therefore, offering a variety of flavored milks helps insure children have access to nutritious beverages while at school. Flavored milks contain both natural and added sugars but does not contain near the same amount of sugars as sodas and other sweetened beverages. NHANES data reports that flavored milks make up only 2% of total added sugar in children’s diets compared to 50% or more added by soft drinks and fruit drinks. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recognize that small amounts of sugar added to nutrient-dense foods, such as reduced fat milk, may increase a person’s intake of such foods by enhancing palatability of these products, thus improving nutrient intake without contributing excessive calories. Overweight and obesity are a result of too many calories taken in and not enough calories spent on activity. A new study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that children and teens that drank flavored milk had better overall nutrition and lower weights than those who didn’t drink milk at all. In addition, scientific reviews indicate that sugar intake does not cause hyperactivity or other behavioral problems or interfere with academic performance in children. We believe drinking milk with a few extra calories or added sugars far outweighs not drinking milk at all. Farm-to-SchoolDo your students eat fresh locally grown produce? Yes they do! We proudly purchase fresh fruits and vegetables grown by our North Carolina farmers through the Farm-to-School program. Students have the opportunity to eat a variety of apples, strawberries, watermelon, cantaloupes, blueberries, lettuce, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, and possibly other items-ALL GROWN IN NORTH CAROLINA! For more information on the Farm-to-School Program click on the link: http://www.ncfarmtoschool.com/index.htm Wellness Policy and ProceduresThe Guilford County Board of Education is committed to providing a school environment that emphasizes learning and development of lifelong wellness practices. Recognizing the link between nutrition and physical activity to enhanced student health, academic performance and behavior, the Board adopted a Wellness Policy to monitor that commitment. Please see the links below to read the policy and procedures. Board Policy Student Wellness - IHB and Procedures – IHBP |
