When children head back to the school lunch line in a few days they can expect to hear, "Would you like broccoli or a pear with that?"That is because schools across the country will be revamping school meals to be more nutritious in an effort to combat childhood obesity.
Nutrition Educator with Tulsa Public Schools, Morgan Peaden, said that TPS is ready for the changes.
"Child Nutrition Services have been working to get the menus up to par with the new requirements of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act," said Peaden.
The school meal standards were announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in January and this is first major overhaul in fifteen years.
TPS serves 57,000 meals to students daily.
The new set of guidelines includes rules for the amount of sodium, Trans fat and whole grains in school meals. Only fat free and low-fat milk will be offered. Peaden said that students will be required to add a fruit or vegetable to their tray before they can check out of the line.
"For the health of the children these are good changes," Peaden said.
But what about vending machines? Peaden said that Child Nutrition Services is not in charge of vending machines that are present on school locations.
A source with TPS said that district contracts with Imperial Vending Company. The decision on what is stocked inside of the machines is primarily up to the principals and the company. There are standard vending machine options or healthier vending options available. Imperial told FOX23 that healthier options are offered at a discount to education locations. Rules on the machines vary from school to school.
Schools say they are doing what they can to meet federal nutritional guidelines. One Tulsa parent told FOX23 that he hopes that he can teach his young son healthy habits at home so he can avoid temptation at vending machines or restaurants later in life. "I think the habits that you have as a kid you probably have as an adult."
