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A frying shame

Cafeterias are told to shape up and help the ever-expanding student body.

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By DONNA WINCHESTER
Published July 29, 2006

Among the changes in Pinellas County schools this year will be the rollout of a wellness policy mandated by the federal government. The Child Nutrition and WIC Authorization Act, signed by President Bush in 2004, requires school districts that participate in the federal school meals program to have a wellness policy in place by the first day of the 2006-07 academic year.

The idea, district officials say, is to address student wellness and to combat the growing problem of childhood obesity by concentrating on nutrition standards for all foods served on campus, nutrition education and physical activity.

In Pinellas, that means changes in the types of food that will be served in school cafeterias and classrooms. Here is a rundown of the changes by grade level:

Elementary guidelines

• Elementary schools will not use deep-fat frying for on-site food preparation.
• The only beverages served will be milk, zero-calorie flavored water, unflavored water, and 100 percent juice and/or vegetable juice.
• Students will be allowed one nutritious snack per day under a teacher’s supervision. Examples are Goldfish crackers, pretzels and popcorn.

Middle school guidelines

• Middle schools will not use deep-fat frying to prepare foods other than french fries on-site.
• French fries and other fried potato products must not exceed 4.5 ounces per serving, and students may purchase only one serving at a time.
• Schools will eliminate french fries and other fried a la carte potato products by the year 2009-10. During the 2006-07 school year, fries will be offered a la carte no more than three times a week.
• Schools that serve potato chips will use baked varieties only.
• Schools will not serve candy bars or any packaged candies.
  

High school guidelines

• Schools should eliminate frying to prepare foods on-site, except for french fries that are served a la carte.
• French fries and other fried potato products must not exceed 4.5 ounces per serving, and students may purchase only one serving at a time.
• Schools that serve potato chips will use baked varieties only.

[Last modified July 29, 2006, 18:03:51]