North Wales Elementary awarded for healthy lunches

In the photo, Jenny McKenna, left and Rachel Dudek have a staring contest during lunch on “Crazy Hair Day” at Gwynedd Square elementary school extended school care camp on Friday. At center is counsellor Alex Raimo. Photo by Geoff Patton, The Reporter.

By Linda Stein

LANSDALE — Look out for the legumes, apples, oranges, bananas, mangos, string beans and carrots, kids. And give up on those visions of donuts, Tastykakes and Hershey’s bars.

Healthier lunches are coming to all 13 North Penn elementary schools.

North Wales Elementary recently received a Bronze Award from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s HealthierUS School Challenge and district officials have decided to extend the program, which features a fruit or a vegetable in every lunch, to all the schools.

“We’re very excited,” said Pamela Gallagher, coordinator of school nutrition services. During the past school year, North Wales students were offered more whole grain items, legumes (protein beans), fruits and dark green vegetables. A la carte offerings changed in portion size and sodium, calorie and fat content shrank.

The school’s Health Council promoted good nutrition and physical activity, with Apple Crunch Day, Go for the Greens and Walk to School Day.

“The process of applying was challenging but it made us recognize how important it is to adjust what we’re offering to the kids nutritionally, so they’re offered healthier options,” Gallagher said. “This has prompted us to apply for all our schools.”

The district will receive $500 for each school that meets the standards.

“It is a big job,” she said. “But once you apply for one school you have the foundation for the menu and build from there. The menu changes will be easier.”

Also, new federal regulations will require schools to serve more whole grains and legumes, and a variety of fruits and vegetables anyway, she said.

“Every student will have to take a fruit or vegetable as part of the meal,” Gallagher said. “The good thing is we already do so much of this for our students. It’s going to be easy for us to implement. The biggest change for the federal changes is (that) every student will have to take a fruit and vegetable. Parents may ask why their children are being required to eat fruits and vegetables they may not like.”

“But I’m certain we have so many choices every student will be able to find what they want,” she added.

Most kids’ favorite legume is baked beans, she said.

“We could have hot dogs and baked beans once a week (to meet the federal requirements) and the kids would be happy, but I don’t think the parents would be happy,” said Gallagher.

“We’ll also offer hummus and a rice and bean salad, an Uncle Ben’s recipe we’ve taste-tested with our high school students,” she said. Other options include a three-bean salad and corn and black bean salad we’ve tested at North Wales. That has a “Mexican flare,” she said.

The idea is to get students to try healthy foods that they will hopefully enjoy.

Renee Williams-Erwin, who had two children age 9 and 12 at North Wales Elementary last year said her kids liked the new menu.

“My kids just love the apples,” said Williams-Erwin. “They can’t stand all the fried and greasy food. We don’t eat that type of food at home.”

Courtney Grove, of the WISE SNAC program through the North Penn Community Health Foundation has been working with the North Penn School District, Souderton Area School District and the Wissahickon School District to help facilitate healthier breakfasts and lunches.

“I”m excited,” said Grove, about North Wales’ achievement. “It’s really great to see what the district has done. They’re ahead of the curve. The new (federal) regulations went into effect July 1 and they’ve already been working to improve the school meals rather than waiting to be told to do it.”

Grove has been working with North Penn for seven years, she said. The foundation had set aside $1 million to promote healthy food choices and exercise to fight childhood obesity in the area school districts over 10 years.

From Stein, Linda. (2012, July 14). North Wales Elementary receives award for healthy school lunches. The Reporter. Retrieved from:  http://www.thereporteronline.com/article/20120714/NEWS01/120719751/north-wales-elementary-receives-award-for-healthy-school-lunches&pager=full_story