Area schools coping with new federal lunch guidelines

Cafeteria workers at schools across the country, and in Eastern Iowa, are serving up food under new federal guidelines.

The USDA has made sweeping changes that affect what kids eat at school.  The goal is to tackle the growing childhood obesity epidemic.  Now, students must take a half cup of fruit or vegetables with each meal.  The new menu also has more whole grains, skim and low-fat milk, no trans fat and less saturated fat, meaning the meat is more often baked or grilled, rather than fried.

Health experts have long stressed the need for kids to exercise more and live less sedentary lifestyles.  But many of those same experts say it all goes back to what kids are putting in their bodies.

Lunchtime at Prairie Heights Elementary School looks a whole lot healthier this year.

"Apple sauce, chicken patty,” said second grader Brock Tiedeman, who ate lunch with his parents Wednesday.

"It reinforces what they're learning at home and what they're eating at home,” said parent Matt Shaffer.

3,500 College Community students rely on school lunch every day. Some of them will eat the healthier options, others will not.

“They understand there may be some food wasted or more than we've seen in the past, but as they get used to it maybe then they might eat it,” said College Community School District Food Services Director Julie Hauser. "The first couple of days we've had no idea really what amounts we were going to use.  We were having then to find something else to serve.”

Cafeteria staff say they're surprised at just how much the kids are actually eating.

"Probably peas and carrots,” said Tiedeman.

Along with increasing the nutritional value of school lunches, the new rules regulate just how much kids can eat.  So that means no seconds or larger portions for a beefy student athlete.

"For a high school student that's in practice after school, for them to only get a certain number of calories, I have conflicting ideas on that,” said Hauser.

Also at the high school level, the new guidelines regulate junk food in vending machines.

And regarding the higher costs for healthier food, the federal government did give schools an extra six cents per meal.  But many districts estimate that won't cover the total costs.