Time, not calories, may leave high school students feeling hungry

High school students are grumbling over their school lunches–and so are their stomachs, U.S. News reports. Their complaints aren’t about mystery meat or inedible entrees. Instead, students are staging brown-bag protests and filming YouTube videos to voice their frustrations over portion sizes. New federal guidelines cap school lunches at 750 to 850 calories for high school students, down from the previous 825-calorie minimum requirement, and double the amount of fruits and vegetables teens get when they go through the cafeteria line. Teachers and students say the guidelines, which rolled out nationwide this school year, don’t give students enough fuel to get through the school day, much less sports and after-school activities…

Click here for the full story

…Read More

USDA funds more fruits and veggies for school kids

According to Reuters, state agencies will get more federal funding to provide fresh fruits and vegetables at schools, the Department of Agriculture announced on Wednesday. The $48 million increase in funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program represents a 40 percent increase since last fiscal year.

“Improving the health and nutrition of our kids is a national imperative and by providing schools with fresh fruits and vegetables that expand their healthy options, we are helping our kids to have a brighter, healthier future,” a USDA statement quoted Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack as saying…

Click here for the full story…Read More