By Patti Rigby, Carbon School District Child Nutrition Director
Our students love school lunch choices that reflect their love for tacos, orange chicken, mini corn dogs, chicken nuggets and the like. Offering such choices is sometimes out of sync with our goals to reduce sodium.
Reducing sodium levels in school breakfast and lunch has been mandated since July 2014. There were two more reductions slated to take place over the next eight years. However, child nutrition professionals went to D.C. and presented an example of a meal consisting of a spinach wrap, a fresh orange and milk. Even this healthy meal was found to exceed the proposed new sodium limit.
A new bill has been proposed that could put a freeze on the next two reductions until further research shows significant evidence of the need to reduce sodium intake so drastically.
For now, students should know their favorite choices are safe and will continue to be offered for lunch and free breakfast!