School Nutrition Programs are Part of the Educational Process

NutritionWritten by Cindy Licciardone, Director of Food Services

There is no doubt a nutritious breakfast is a key ingredient to a productive school day. I am sure you have heard the quote "a hungry child can't learn."

Research has shown that children who eat breakfast are more likely to have better nutrition and succeed in school. Since the start of the 2010-2011 school year, breakfast is now available in all Valparaiso Community Schools.

Breakfast meal participation statistics have risen by 5 percent showing that we are meeting the nutritional needs of our students but breakfast participation is only one-fourth of our lunch participation. Mornings can be hectic in any household and sometimes there isn't enough time for breakfast. There also are children who are not hungry when they get up in the morning but, by the time they arrive at school, their tummies are growling. I encourage parents to enforce the importance of eating breakfast to your children and to take advantage of our School Breakfast Program to give your child a healthy daily start. Celebrate National School Breakfast Week "The Search for Super Energy" March 7-11.

The National School Lunch Program will celebrate 65 years since the signing of the National School Lunch Act in 1946 and at what better time as we also celebrate the Reauthorization of Child Nutrition Programs.

Although the new nutritional standards for foods offered in schools and the increase for spending has not been finalized, we are in "pretty good shape" to embrace the changes. We have made some positive changes by adding whole grain products, low-fat options, healthier snack choices, and we will welcome the funding to offer a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables daily on our serving lines.

We feed hungry children every day and we are working on improving child nutrition to ensure that the students of the Valparaiso Community Schools can meet their full potential in school.

All of these changes can be made, but the kids have to accept them. Children and teenagers resist nutritional changes. Our challenge will be to meet all the nutritional program's guidelines and the needs of the students.

The food choices our students make daily create habits that will affect their health in the future. We as educators and parents need to engage in actions that will foster good nutrition to enable all children to be successful at school and to have a healthy future.