As National Nutrition Month closes, Broward County Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services is excited to continue its “Power Up!” messaging through our healthy eating initiatives and programs.
National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Taking place during March, students are invited to learn more about making informed food choices and develop healthy eating and physical activity habits.
Our mission is to provide nutritious meals to support student achievement and promote healthy lifestyles. As the sixth largest school district in the U.S., we make it a priority to listen to feedback from students and the community to offer great food options to our students through new food offerings and menu innovation.
Our school lunches are healthier than ever, with more fruits and vegetables, more whole grains, and less fat and sodium. Plus, our cafeterias have also expanded their vegan and vegetarian options beyond the traditional salad.
The United States Department of Agriculture regulates what can be served in schools, mandating the offering of appropriate servings of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and high-quality proteins. Food and Nutrition Services works closely with vendors who provide new or improved products, that can then be reviewed and qualified by the Food and Nutrition Services team to determine how and where these items will be integrated into menus.
Our cafeteria managers and staff, including some who have worked with us for many years, play a major role in helping our students enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Their service — complete with friendly smiles — and dedication to their jobs are key to getting students excited about healthy eating.
One way we inspire our students to “Power Up!” is by offering free universal breakfast and lunch to our students. Under USDA waivers, free breakfast and lunch is available to all on-campus students during the entire 2021–22 school year, regardless of income. These USDA waivers are an extension of a federal program to provide no-cost meals to children who face food insecurity and other challenges.
We recognize the important role that a nutritious breakfast and lunch play in learning environments. Per the USDA guidelines, students may select at least three out of the four breakfast choices including a grain/protein, fruit, and milk. For lunch, students can select at least three out of the five lunch choices including a protein, grain, fruit, vegetable and milk. Every meal must contain a serving of fruit or vegetables.
We encourage families to fill out the application for free meals online at myschoolapps.com. This is critically important for our district as it helps allocate money to schools for additional resources, outside of food and nutrition needs. Breakfast and lunch menus can be viewed by school location online via Meal Viewer. Items are subject to change.
Food and Nutrition Services celebrated National School Lunch Week in October in recognition of the 30 million meals served daily to school kids around the country as part of the National School Lunch Program. The theme, “Wild About School Lunch,” featured a colorful, jungle animal theme and included student activities and education that promoted the importance of healthy eating, all while highlighting the many reasons students love school lunch. During National School Lunch Week, we emphasized the healthy foods that are offered daily at Broward County Public Schools.
The USDA funded National School Lunch Program provides nutritionally balanced, healthy meals to students every day. The program, which has been serving the nation’s children for over 75 years, requires school meals to meet federal nutrition standards such as offering fruits and vegetables every day, serving whole-grain rich foods, and limiting fat, calories, and sodium.
Broward County Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services is proud to continue to pave the way for healthy lifestyles and nutritious eating choices on behalf of all our students. We know that so much of our program’s success is from the feedback of both students and our communities. We look forward to continuing to serve our students and having them “Power Up” for success.
Zoe Crego is program manager for Nutrition Education and Training with the Broward County Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services. Visit .
