At each building, we feature a choice of fruits and vegetables daily to expose students to a variety of healthy foods. Each school features a self serve Fruit and Vegetable Bar.  By providing three vegetables, a daily fresh fruit and a canned fruit option, the students can pick their favorite items, instead of passing up one choice offered on a menu because they don’t care for it. We have introduced the students to a greater variety of fresh fruit through our Harvest of the Month program, which features a different vegetable and fruit each month on the Fruit and Vegetable Bar. This year we are serving more whole grains and legumes, based on USDA recommendations.

French Fries (which are considered a vegetable) are baked rather than deep fried in all of the school kitchens.  We do not feature French Fries daily, but limit them to once or twice per month.

Desserts are considered a treat with lunch, and have been limited to once per week on the menu. Other changes we have made include using more reduced calorie dressings, light mayonnaise and limiting honey as a condiment.  We have also switched to condiment packets in order to limit portions to a reasonable amount.

Commodities

Part of the funding of the National School Lunch Program comes to the district in the form of USDA donated commodities. As students tastes have changed, the types of foods offered as commodities have changed with them. Rather than receive whole Turkeys as in the past, we now receive processed items such as Turkey Mini Corn Dogs, Chicken Nuggets, Fully Cooked Hamburger Patties, Pizza Dippers and Taco Meat. These items are prepared using ingredients that help lower the fat and salt they contain. For example, cheese products are made with part skim milk, and beef products have added soy or turkey. We also receive much of our canned fruit and frozen vegetables as commodities.

Cooking

In order to meet the nutritional requirements of our meals, we take specific steps when preparing food items. Ground Beef is rinsed after cooking to skim off fat, and ground turkey is added when possible. All products that are typically deep fried, (chicken nuggets, chicken patties, popcorn chicken) are baked in ovens with no oil added. We do not add butter or margarine when cooking vegetables and they are steamed when possible. Salt is no longer added as a seasoning, and we use pepper or other herbs as flavor enhancements.

A la Carte

A la Carte items are snacks that students may purchase that are not part of a meal. They are offered to Middle School students only, and are intended to compliment a meal rather than replace it. For that reason, we follow the USDA price guidelines so that a meal is always a better value than purchasing items separately.  All A la Carte items we sell are approved by USDA guidelines, and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

We recognize that good nutrition and physical activity are essential for the long-term health of children.  Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions; Type 2 diabetes and other childhood-onset of adult diseases also have reached alarming proportions.

Our commitment to be part of a solution led us to our Food 4 Life initiative, which has been our guiding principle at Taher Inc. since 2006 and includes:

• introducing children to new and different foods

• focusing on more scratch cooking, using less processed foods

• increasing the offerings of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes

• utilizing more locally grown products when available

• providing additional opportunities for development of our cooks by working with our regional and corporate chefs, and through chef training seminars

We have eliminated all trans fats in products we purchase, and use low sodium bases in our recipes.  We have specified milk without Bovine Growth Hormone, BGH.

Our menu standards follow the White House Initiative, and the HealthierUS School Challenge.

This year we have expanded our Farm to School Program to 17 different fruits and vegetables grown locally when in season.  Students will be able to see the name of the farm and location when these wonderful farm fresh items are served.

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Wellness Policy
In the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, the U.S. Congress established a new requirement for all local agencies with a federally funded National School Lunch Program.  All local school districts are required to develop and implement wellness policies by the start of the 2006-07 school year.  In response to this requirement, our school district formed a committee made up of parents, administration, faculty, and students to develop a wellness policy.

Click here to view our school district's current wellness policy.

Nutritional Analysis
We have included a Nutritional Analysis of our menu items. Parents can use this data to help students make the best choices for a well balanced diet.