tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4041351940135831902.post7566836433990558106..comments2024-02-13T17:18:33.498-05:00Comments on Better D.C. School Food: Menu Advisory Committee?Ed Bruskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12217850970833353800noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4041351940135831902.post-85201038238410339792010-08-19T12:03:56.432-04:002010-08-19T12:03:56.432-04:00Having a clear and comprehensive Wellness Policy i...Having a clear and comprehensive Wellness Policy in place, one which has been approved by the local board of education, is really key to getting improvements in school food, especially when the school district uses an outside company to provide their meals. Say, for example, that your Wellness Policy prohibits artificial colors in the food served to students; this means that in the contract that your district signs with the outside company, it must be specified that there will be no artifical colors in the food they provide. This alone would keep Froot Loops and the other cereals designed to not only taste but also look like candy out of your school breakfasts (I realize that DC schools will no longer be serving those highly sugared cereals, but they could have been forced out a long time ago by this kind of prohibition in your Wellness Policy.) <br /><br />The USDA requires that school districts not only have a Wellness Policy, but also that districts abide by it. The USDA reviews every district which participates in the National School Lunch Program about every 4 years; my district was reviewed last year. One of the things they check for is compliance with the local Wellness Policy. So if your meal provider were, for example, continuing to serve Froot Loops in defiance of the local Wellness Policy prohibiting artificial colors, this is something that would be noted in the USDA report and the district would be required to take corrective action. the USDA follows up to make sure the corrective action has been taken, too.<br /><br />I realize you may know all of this already but perhaps there are some among your readers who don't, so I hope this is helpful for them.Dananoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4041351940135831902.post-15876360269289606902010-08-19T11:08:04.552-04:002010-08-19T11:08:04.552-04:00Thanks, Dana. This committee is separate and apart...Thanks, Dana. This committee is separate and apart from the wellness committee you are describing. And, yes, D.C. does have a wellness committee. How effective it is seems to be a matter of some conjecture.Ed Bruskehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12217850970833353800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4041351940135831902.post-52924009746335847852010-08-19T10:27:52.907-04:002010-08-19T10:27:52.907-04:00The Child Nutrition Act reauthorization of 2004 re...The Child Nutrition Act reauthorization of 2004 required every school district which participates in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program to develop their own local Wellness Policy by the start of the 2006-07 school year. The policy is to be developed by a broad coalition of stakeholders including district staff, parents, students, and members of the public. The policy is supposed to set goals for nutrition, nutrition education, physical activity and other school based activities to promote student health.<br /><br />The Washington DC based Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) has a great guide to how to get this Wellness Policy done, with a section on getting the committee started. Ongoing monitoring and assessment of the policy is essential to its success. If your community doesn't already have such a policy in place, and a standing committee including parents to assess its effectiveness, then your school district needs to get one started.<br /><br />Here's a link to the FRAC guide in case it is helpful for anyone:<br />http://www.frac.org/pdf/wellness_guide2006.pdfDana Woldownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4041351940135831902.post-76468995070724651932010-08-19T08:43:05.978-04:002010-08-19T08:43:05.978-04:00Ed - Holy moly! NOW I know why Aramark formed the...Ed - Holy moly! NOW I know why Aramark formed the Parent Advisory Committee here in Houston. Gee, I thought it was out of the goodness of their hearts. Thanks for clearing that up! :-)Bettina at The Lunch Trayhttp://www.thelunchtray.comnoreply@blogger.com