While school foodservice professionals across the country await a reauthorization of the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act, a group from North Carolina met with congressional officials to air the changes they would like to see.
Pam Smith, chairwoman of the policy and legislation committee for North Carolina’s chapter of the School Nutrition Association, discussed the changes she and FSDs from her state would like to see with Chance Lambeth, an aid to the U.S. representative for the 7th Congressional District, David Rouzer. They met at Pink Hill Elementary School so that Lambeth could see such unintended aftereffects of the current rules as children throwing away fruit from their trays.
“That is money we are just throwing in the trash every day,” said Smith, who is also the nutrition director for Lenoir County Public Schools.
In addition to changing the rules so that students would be offered a fresh fruit or vegetable instead of being required to take them, FSDs are seeking an easing of sodium requirements and whole-grain mandates. They would also like to see an increase in the subsidy given to schools for reduced or free meals.
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