With the beginning of the 1996-97 school year, all
federally funded school lunch programs will have
to meet new, healthier nutrition guidelines (see
box). But the Austin Independent School District
has been meeting those goals for the past five years,
partly due to its participation in the CATCH program.
CATCH stands for Children and Adolescent Trial for
Cardiovascular Health. It's a five-year study of the
effect of better nutrition on the heart health of
school children. AISD, in conjunction with the UT
Medical Branch at Galveston and UT Austin, is one
of only five districts in the U.S. chosen to
participate in the study.
The project included revising AISD menus to lower
fat and sodium content and increase fiber, fruits
and vegetables. Low-fat milk, fresh fruit and
whole wheat rolls are served, non-sodium seasoning
is used in place of salt on vegetables, and lower-
fat main dishes are offered.
Elementary school menus are set by a committee that
includes nutritionists, cafeteria managers and parents.
"We view the cafeteria as a learning lab for students,
an extension of the classroom curricula," says Chris
Carrillo, R.D., a nutritionist and assistant director
of food and nutrition services for AISD. "We offer
good nutrition and we try to educate children about
healthy eating."
The biggest problem faced is that they are feeding a
generation of children raised on fast food. "We offer
a wide variety of vegetables, but the question is īDo
they eat them?'" says Carrillo. "The reality is that
if it isn't offered at home, the kids are not likely
to eat it at school."
New federal guidelines for the 1996-1997 school year
recommend that schools reduce total fat to less than
30 percent of calories and saturated fat to less than
10 percent. The guidelines also set minimum standards
for the following nutrients, based on the age of students.
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Hunger Affects Kids' Behavior in Class.
Children who are disruptive in the classroom and
have a difficult time following instructions may
have an "invisible" problem. They may be irritable
or distracted simply because they are hungry.
A study of elementary schoolchildren in the
Pittsburgh area, published recently in the
journal Pediatrics, links certain behavior
problems with hunger: fighting, passing blame,
having difficulties with teachers, ignoring rules,
stealing, and clinging to a parent. A separate
research project involving six Minnesota schools
directly measured the positive impact of breakfast
on children's classroom performance, including
test scores, behavior, and fewer visits to the
school nurse. "They discovered that children who
eat breakfast feel better about being in school,
feel healthier in general, and feel in control
of their bodies and emotions," says Dr. Kyla
Wahlstrom, associate director of the Center for
Applied Research and Educational Improvement at
the University of Minnesota, and an evaluator of
the pilot project.
Looking for creative ways to fill those plain
brown bags? I've got tasty sandwich recipes, sack
lunch side and thermos filler ideas, plus a bagful
of ingredients for you to create your own sandwich
masterpiece from.
Heart Healthy Tips:
Don't urge children to "finish your plate."
This encourages children to eat when they
aren't hungry and may contribute to weight
problems as they mature.
Index
Little Love Letters for the Lunchbox
Many parents and children have benefited from
thoughtful little notes written on napkins and
packed into lunch boxes. Simple notes such as
"You're the tops!" or "I love you!" can bring
a smile to any child's face.
