by Karen Bledsoe

Created on: October 10, 2010

National School Lunch Week is a newcomer to the October holiday lineup. In 2009, President Obama declared that every child in American schools deserves access to a healthy, nutritious lunch, and noted that, "Since 1946, the National School Lunch Program has helped to protect the health and well-being of our children by providing them with balanced, low-cost or free lunches throughout the school year." All jokes about "mystery meat" aside, thousands of children depend on free and reduced lunch programs. For some, it may be the only square meal they get all day. Heavy emphasis on standardized testing in the wake of No Child Left Behind means that students must be in peak mental condition all day, every day. How can we expect top performance from children who are underfed and undernourished?

However, if children are dependent on free or reduced cost lunch programs, it's essential that the food they are served is wholesome and nutritious. Budget cuts can endanger lunch programs. Gone are the days of the school cook who was in charge of planning and making decent meals in the school kitchen; for decades now, most food preparation has been outsourced to big food service companies, and the food is trucked in and warmed up. School lunch programs are just another business venture now, and those in charge are sometimes more interested in serving food that kids like - pizza, burgers, chicken nuggets, and other junk food - than serving nutritious food.

National School Lunch Week is here to raise awareness about what's on a child's lunch tray. The 2010 "What's On Your Tray?" campaign is aimed at educating children about their food choices, and to encourage children to make good choices about food. Children learn why they need to fuel up with healthy, nutritious food - how food can help fuel academic success as well as ready them for sports, activities, and a healthy life in general.

How can parents help with National School Lunch Week? Visit your child's school. Find out what's on the school lunch menu, and if the food service companies that contract with the district are serving up nutritious lunches with generous portions. Stick around to see if all children are served, or if the food starts running out before all children have had their lunches. If you and other parents are dissatisfied about school lunches, find out if there are alternate food service companies in your area. While still few in number, some new food service companies specialize in fresh, organic, or locally-grown food, and might give more nutritional bang for every food service buck spent.

Finally, talk to your own children about food choices and how to choose a healthy diet. Most of all, set the example by choosing healthy food yourself. Children learn what they live, and your example speaks louder than words.

For more information, see:

Proclamation: NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH WEEK, 2009

National School Lunch Week website

What's On Your Tray?

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