1) A Wellness Question: The PTA and other school groups utilize catalog sales for fundraisers. The catalog has chocolate as one of the food items to be sold. Can we sell the chocolate?
Fundraisers will not be allowed to sell foods of minimal nutritional value during the school day. All sales conducted after school hours are exempt from the policy. However, our goal as a school system is to encourage and promote wellness, therefore moderation is the key to good nutrition.
2) A Wellness Question: We have a beverage contract to purchase bottle tea, fruit drink, and snow cones. When do we have to change?
Any existing contracts may be honored through the 2005-2006 school year. All contracts beginning 2006-2007 school year must incorporate the requirements on portion sizes, ingredients, and nutritional content for snacks, and beverages sold in school cafeterias.
3) A Wellness/Menu Question: I heard that we were going to no longer be able to eat French Fries in our school cafeteria. Is this true?
The goal is to limit the amount of fried products served during a school week. The serving size as specified by the Alabama State Department of Education is no more than 3 oz of fried product ( i.e. French fries, potato rounds, tater tots, etc.) is to be served. These fried products should not be offered everyday. These fried products are to be sold with the meal and cannot be sold individually or as an extra item.
4) A Menu Question: My child claims he/she is hungry. For lunch, he/she only got a hot dog and milk. Why did he/she not get more to eat?
Our school system has adopted the policy "Offer versus Serve". This means that your child is allowed to pick the food that they would like to consume. For lunch, our students are offered 5 different food items and may decline two of the five items offered. The five items are: 1. meat/meat alternate, 2. grain/bread, 3. milk, 4. fruit, 5. vegetable.
Therefore, hot dog and milk would be a complete meal since they have asked for bread, meat, and milk. However, they maybe more satisfied if they also consumed the rest of the meal that was offered such as the fruit and vegetables, which are packed with nutrients that are good for growing bodies.
For breakfast, "Offer versus Serve" still applies. Students are offered four components for breakfast, and they have the right to decline one of the components. The four components are: 1. meat/meat alternate, 2. fruit or vegetable, 3. milk, 4. grain/bread. For example, breakfast is: milk, juice, sausage & biscuit. They may decline one of these items and still be considered a complete meal.