Are school cafeteria lunches healthy?
School cafeteria lunches seem to be improving in both taste and nutrition. They usually provide adequate calories, sources of carbohydrate and protein, and always include milk. Unfortunately, school lunch programs are not perfect. In some areas, the lunches are still too high in fat and lacking in fruit, vegetables, and fiber. Your children also have choices and may choose the higher fat items and skip vegetables. It is wise to go through the cafeteria menu with your child so that you both can decide on which days it would be best to buy lunch. Buying a monthly lunch pass can save you time, be less expensive, and is a more nutritious option than the vending machine or fast food items that many kids choose every day. Offering your children a combination of eating in the cafeteria, bringing lunch from home, and occasionally giving them lunch money to make their own choices works well. Going through the menus and offering other choices, helps teach your kids about different foods and maki
