Dist. 214 cafeteria meals to get nutrition boost

Beginning this fall, Northwest Suburban High School District 214 will implement the National School Lunch Program’s new nutrition standards that are taking effect across the country this school year.

The new regulations are to ensure that cafeteria meals continue to be healthy and well-balanced.

Under the new nutrition standards, school lunches will include a wider variety of vegetables, more whole grains, a strict limit on calories, portion sizes, sodium, and saturated fat, and an increased serving of fruits and vegetables.

Prior to this year, students were given a choice of fruits and vegetables, but now students must take at least one serving of fruit or vegetable when purchasing a lunch meal.

Additional nutrition criteria have been established by the United States Department of Agriculture and will take effect gradually over the next several years.

District 214’s Food and Nutrition Department will continue to provide students with high quality, nutritionally sound meals by following the standards set by the National School Lunch Program and USDA.