School lunches are very important to many New Mexico students, with more than 80% of students getting half of their daily calories from school breakfast and lunch. Now, new nutritional standards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture aim to make these diets healthier and prevent a growing number of diet-related illnesses.
USDA proposed revisions to improve the nutritional quality of school meals. For the first time, these standards will limit added sugars and lower sodium levels in foods.
The federal government issues dietary guidelines for Americans every five years, but so far school nutrition standards have not followed those guidelines.
Dr. Beth Jimenez, a professor and pediatric nutritionist at the University of New Mexico, said the eating habits of young children can go a long way toward reducing chronic disease in adulthood.
“Nutritious diets improve children’s learning abilities, reduce behavioral problems, and reduce long-term risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, and chronic kidney disease.” ,” Jimenez said.
Sandra Kemp is the executive director of Albuquerque Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services. She serves breakfast to about 30,000 students and lunch to about 45,000 students across the district, and innovative partnerships with local farms help keep her APS food healthy. I said that.
“Hopefully, we can be at the forefront of continuing to offer more locally sourced food throughout the year,” Kemp said.
The USDA is expected to release a final rule this month to help school districts plan for next school year.
This coverage is made possible by the WK Kellogg Foundation and KUNM Listeners.
