Doctors and health experts have made it clear that proper nutrition is essential to perform adequately throughout the day, to be in good health and to maintain a good immune system, which is more important today than ever. The situation becomes more pressing in children and, therefore, in schools.
Faced with the need to improve the food provided to hundreds of children in San Mateo County schools, Anna Lague, director of Child Nutrition Services for Redwood City; Bonnie Christensen, director of Nutrition Services for the Berkeley Unified School District; Judi Shills, executive director of Conscious Kitchen; Claire Tuohey-Mote, Farm to School Coordinator for the San Luis Coastal Unified School District; and Juan Cordon, director of the Vacaville Nutrition Services Division, discussed the matter and decided to take action.
At the meeting, Anna Lague highlighted that Redwood City is already working on new software that will allow for more knowledge and transparency in nutritional matters within schools, as she accepted that, many times, the foods provided are not the most adequate in terms of sugars and fats.
This development would allow parents, teachers and school staff to know the quality of food, he said.
In this regard, she pointed out that cereals with high sugar levels, as well as cinnamon buns, will no longer be served in schools, although chocolate milk will continue to be served, a situation that is expected to change soon this year, due to the growing rate of obesity in children who are shown to be malnourished.
The speakers, who met virtually, agreed that COVID-19 has been a challenge in all school districts, however, it was also a trigger to improve students' nutrition, since health has become a priority for everyone.
In light of this, they suggested that Redwood City could apply for grants to pay for better equipment and kitchens on campuses and thereby improve food, such as ovens or bulk milk dispensers, which encourage consumption of said product while allowing costs to be reduced.
One of the great challenges facing the city is to replace all those ultra-processed foods full of calories that do not provide the necessary nutrients for children and young people to be in optimal condition for learning.
As a result, it was concluded that it is necessary to include more foods cooked from scratch, in addition to purchasing products from local suppliers, which has largely allowed several school districts to avoid interruptions in the food supply chain, since they can be more flexible.
They also agreed that in order to achieve the transition to this safer and more beneficial feeding system for children, it is necessary to have adequate and sufficient professionally trained staff.
The speakers detailed that participation in the school meals program increased dramatically when they transitioned to fresher, local ingredients. They also noted that this has led to increased revenue for their departments.
Organic products are also a great alternative for schools, such as the milk that is distributed, as well as other foods, which can help lower costs in the short to medium term, and, without a doubt, improve the quality of life of students.
The transitions have not happened overnight, and they have made the changes in different ways, such as the Berkeley district, which started with a simple menu, while Vacaville moved to a balanced diet quickly.
“The challenge is that children face an uncertain future related to diet. Chronic diseases in children are on the rise in the United States and around the world, and many children are suffering from diseases like these that are unprecedented,” said Judi Shills, executive director of Conscious Kitchen.
The Redwood City Board of Education recognizes that students need adequate, nutritious food to grow, learn, and maintain good health.
According to city guidelines, food and beverages available through the district's food service program must:
1. Be carefully selected to contribute to the nutritional well-being of students and disease prevention
2. Meet or exceed nutritional standards specified in law and administrative regulation
3. Prepare in a way that attracts students, preserves nutritional quality and encourages lifelong healthy eating habits
4. Serve in age-appropriate portions
5. Sell yourself at reasonable prices
The Redwood City School District also details that the food service program will prioritize serving unprocessed foods and fresh fruits and vegetables that are not fried, however, the current situation is still far from that.
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