ALBANY,GA. -- In order to provide a more balanced menu in school cafeterias, the federal government has issued a new mandate that's changing the way students are served.
Starting this year k-12 students will see larger portions of fruits and vegetables.
Fruit rations went from one-fourth of a cup to half a cup, while the portion size for vegetables went from half a cup to three-fourths of a cup.
Students also must have at least one serving of a fruit or vegetable with each meal.
This year school officials also begin implementing whole grain breads into their menu and by the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year cafeterias will be required to use all whole grain; this includes pastas and breads.
“We have a lot of children who are obese young aged children and they are overweight and they have different health reasons and the state's trying to cut down on that,” says Eddie Lewis, Lillie Cooper Primary School Nutrition Manager.
Lewis says the food changes may take some getting used to but if parents talk to their children about why the changes have been made, it would help them understand why it's needed.
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