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FAIRFIELD, Conn. Fairfields school lunches will cost more next school year. But in the process they will feature more fruits and vegetables, more whole grains and other healthier options.
Fairfields Board of Education approved a collection of changes to Fairfield Public Schools food services program for the 2012-2013. Among the changes are a 25-cent increase in meal prices and adopting the federal governments new nutrition standards.
The children are going to see a lot of changes in the cafeteria, said Joann Fitzpatrick, head of Fairfields food services department.
All school lunch prices will rise 25 cents next school year, except reduced-price meals for students from low-income families. Elementary school lunches will now cost $2.45, middle school lunches $2.50 and high school meals $2.65.
The cost of the deluxe meals at the middle and high schools will increase to $3.85. McKinleys breakfast prices will go up 15 cents, to $1.50. Milk will still cost 50 cents.
The higher prices will go toward wage increases for the towns cafeteria workers. The school board approved a new contract with the food services union that calls for a 2 percent raise for the departments 78 employees.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will adopt new school lunch standards for the first time in 15 years on July 1. Fairfields food services department plans to implement the changes as part of its ongoing work to make school lunches healthier.
One of the major changes in the new system is adding more fruits and vegetables to the lunch plan. The old system allowed for the district to offer one serving of either a fruit or a vegetable at each meal. Schools must now have one of each on the menu each day.
Students will also be required to take at least one of the two with their lunches. A salad bar will also be offered to high school students starting next fall.
As always, our goal is to have healthy choices for our students and also be sensitive to their preferences, Fitzpatrick said.
The new standards also call for the caloric content off all lunches to stay within strict ranges, determined by age group. For example, elementary students meals must have between 550 and 650 calories, while high schoolers will get between 750 and 850. The school system will do the same with sodium levels starting in the 2014-2015 school year.
Fairfields schools will also make sure that at least half of their grain servings are whole grains and that its flavored milks are all fat-free. Trans fats will also be completely cut from the menu, along with lean finely textured beefwhat media outlets dubbed pink slime a few months ago.
All the kids want fresh, good tasting, healthy food, said Michelle McCabe, outgoing chair of the PTA Councils Fuel for Learning Partnership. And it sounds like were going to be giving it to them, which is great.
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