It’s National School Lunch Week

Pizza, donuts, chicken fingers, oh my! The nutritional value of the food that our children eat at school is just as important as those meals we serve them at home.  This is why the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) was created in 1946 as the largest federal child nutrition program.  This program was designed as a mandated law that makes it possible for all school children across the country to receive a nutritious lunch every day.  The program provides children with one third or more of their Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for essential nutrients, and requires schools to provide no more than 30 percent of calories from fat and less than 10 percent from saturated fat.  The week of October 14-October 18 is recognized as National School Lunch Week as a celebratory week of events and activities that promote the benefits of the NSLP.

The theme for this year’s National School Lunch Week is “School Lunch Across the USA”.  This theme was created to celebrate regional flavors, ingredients, spices and traditions in cafeterias all over the country.  It is also an opportunity to recognize different ethnicities, cultures and food staples in your student body!

There are a number of ways to celebrate and make the most of National School Lunch Week.  Students, faculty and parents can all be involved.  Inform your students about regional cuisine by organizing fun trivia games about what foods are found in certain areas of the country.  Get students and parents involved in the menu selection by handing out surveys of foods they’d like to see on the menu each week.  Post information on the lunch line about each food, where it is from and the nutrients it offers.

Another fun way to celebrate this important week with your child is to participate in “National Bring Your Parents to Lunch Day”, which is on October 16^th.  On this day, your child is able to bring you to lunch with them at their school and share with you the healthy meals they eat every day at school.

Having nutritious and healthy meals is very important for your growing children.  Participate in National School Lunch Week and bring awareness to this wonderful program that was created to keep our children healthy!

Your turn to take action: How will you and your children celebrate National School Lunch Week?

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