Are School Lunches Getting Healthier?
Mary always took the time to knead her own homemade whole-grain bread. Only the best for her children. But when lunchtime rolled around at school, her kids ate the cafeteria food along with their classmates. Years ago, this may have raised eyebrows in nutrition-conscious parents. But some school lunches are not as unhealthy as they used to be. In fact, many bag lunches brought from home may be less nutritious than what schools are serving now. Why the bad rap? The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) serves about 30.5 million lunches per day at reduced or no cost to families who meet certain income criteria. Schools involved in the program receive cash plus commodity foods (foods the USDA buys and distributes for free). But these commodity foods are typically animal products such as pork and beef. They are converted into ready-to-eat processed foods like hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken nuggets. These are the high-fat, high-cholesterol choices you often see on school menus. School dist
