Some 94% of U.S. school districts are expected to meet updated federal nutrition standards for lunches by the end of the 2012-13 academic year.
September 30/Washington/PRNewswire -- Some 94% of U.S. school districts are expected to meet updated federal nutrition standards for lunches by the end of the 2012-13 academic year, according to a national survey commissioned by the Kids' Safe and Healthful Foods Project. However, many school districts say that their current kitchen equipment and infrastructure limit their ability to do so and that foodservice staff need more training as they work to implement the USDA guidelines.
The report, "Serving Healthy School Meals: Despite challenges, schools meet USDA nutrition requirements," finds that although most districts expect to meet the updated standards with current facilities, one-third report that their current kitchen equipment makes it difficult to serve healthier foods, and one-quarter face challenges related to infrastructure, such as electrical and plumbing capacity.