On Monday, September 29th from 2:00-3:00pm MST, UAND will be hosting a webinar on School Lunches presented by RDN Nicole Vance. This webinar will be $15 for UAND member and $25 for nonmembers and provide 1 CPEU credit. Participants must register to attend.

Read on to learn a little more about what will be covered and invite all who you think might benefit.

In July 2012, the regulations for the National School Lunch Program underwent a complete overhaul. After years of committee meetings, recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, the release of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and the signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, the menu requirements for school meals were updated for schools and students across the nation. This included changes to the variety and types of foods that would be offered to students each day, how schools could count a meal that would be eligible for reimbursement, and it set the stage for further changes that would take place in the years following.

Now, as we get started on the third year of these regulations being in place, there have been additional changes that were gradually phased in. Some of these changes include maximum sodium levels, the provision of whole-grain rich foods, and the “smart snacks in school” rule that will be implemented for the first time this year. With the new school year starting, it’s a good time to learn about what schools are serving. In the webinar scheduled for Monday, Sept 29 at 2:00 pm, these school lunch updates will be reviewed, and you can get an idea of what you can expect to see in schools this year as they put together the best meals they can for students.