- Our School Nutrition Program complies with federal, state and local requirements.
- Our School Nutrition Program is accessible to all children.
- We provide and promote nutrition education.
- We encourage meaningful physical fitness activities for all children.
- All school-based activities are consistent with local wellness policy goals.
- Recommend that all foods and beverages made available on campus (including vending, concessions, a la carte, student stores, parties, and fundraising) during the school day are consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
- Insure that all foods made available on campus adhere to food safety and security guidelines.
- Provide a school environment that is safe, comfortable, pleasing, and allows ample time and space for eating meals.
- Insure that food and/or physical activity is not used as a reward or punishment.
- School Nutrition Association
- USDA Food & Nutrition Services
- Centers for Disease Control
- National School Boards Association
- National PTA
- Action for Healthy Kids
- American Dietetic Association
- Food Research and Action Center
- Elementary/Secondary School Principals
- National Association of School Nurses
- USDA Cooperative Extension
- National Dairy Council
- Society for Nutrition Education
- The National Association for Sport and Physical Education
- Council of Chief State School Officers
District Wellness Policy
The Board's Local School Wellness Policy, 5030, was updated after review, on Tuesday, September 26, 2017. The policy is reviewed and updated every three years. Anyone wishing to have input regarding nutritional information may contact Anna Apoian, Director of Nutrition Services, at 562-210-2147. Physical activity and educational input may be directed at a school site's Wellness Representative or Educational Services, 562-210-2000.
Here are a few reminders:
- All foods sold during the school day shall adhere to the USDA Smart Snack regulations and California law for calories, fat, sugar content, and sodium restrictions. The school day is defined as midnight to a half-hour after school ends.
- The nutritional standards, adopted by the District for all foods and beverages sold to students, apply to the District's food service program, student stores, vending machines, fundraisers, and other venues.
- Any food brought from home for a classroom party shall be packaged and labeled to ensure food allergen information is available.
- An addition to the policy is the stated District goal: "the last student in line for lunch shall have at least 15 minutes to sit and eat his or her meal."
- Work-site Wellness Programs are administered through Risk Management.
- Physical and nutrition education is administered through Educational Services for goals and assessments.
Nutrition Services' Mission
Our Nutrition Services Department is dedicated to students' health, well-being, and ability to learn. We support learning by promoting healthy habits for lifelong nutrition.
School lunches provide children well-balanced, healthy meals that are required to meet federal nutrition standards. We offer students a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, and salads. Under the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, school meals must contain no more than:
- 30% of calories from fat and
- Less than 10% of calories from saturated fat
- As recommended by the USDA Dietary Guidelines, school lunches must provide 1/3 of Recommended Dietary Allowances of protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium served in age-appropriate portion sizes.
School nutrition professionals must satisfy taste preferences and regional or cultural food influences to provide meals within nutrition guidelines that will be consumed by the students. School nutrition programs have reformulated kid favorites as healthier options, such as:
- Pizza prepared with whole-wheat flour, low-fat cheese, and low-sodium sauce.
- Chicken nuggets with a whole grain breading and baked rather than deep-fried like typical chicken nuggets served at home or restaurants.
We provide students with access to a variety of affordable and appealing foods that meet their health and nutrition needs. Therefore, children are increasingly recognizing and enjoying healthier food options at school.
Sharing the Message of Wellness
One of our goals is to share the message of nutrition and wellness via our department's web site that emphasizes the importance of nutrition AND fitness. Our site provides information on the nutrition and fitness for teachers, parents, and students, as well as, a variety of learning tools.
Key Areas of Our Wellness Policy
Balance is essential for any Wellness Policy. Key areas include:
- Nutrition Education
- Physical activity
- Other school-based activities that are designed to promote student wellness.
Contact Information
All stakeholders, including but not limited to, students, parents, teachers, nutrition service professionals, school health professionals, the Board of Education, school administrators, and other interested community members shall have the opportunity to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review of the wellness policy. If interested in serving on NLMUSD Wellness Policy Committee, please contact Anna Apoian at [email protected]
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