Are the meals provided to students healthy?

Eden Prairie Schools Food Service offers well-balanced, healthy meals meeting federal nutrition standards.

A few facts about school meals:

• No more than 30% of calories come from fat, and less than 10% from saturated fat.
• Meals provide 1/3 of the recommended dietary allowance of protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium.
• Age-appropriate portion sizes.
• Fruits/vegetables are offered every day.
• Salad bars provide locally sourced produce when available.
• Breads are baked daily in the full bakery at the EPHS.

School Nutrition programs are working to make healthy meals kid-friendly by:

• Making homemade soups and sauces and some dressings in our central kitchen.
• Testing items to get student views on what we are serving or thinking about serving.
• Reformulating student favorites to make them more healthy, such as serving pizza on whole grain bread with low-sodium sauce and low-fat cheese.
• Use oat bran in all our bread recipes to make them a whole-grain product.
• Incorporating culturally appropriate foods to meet the tastes of our diverse student populations and provide alternative foods for students with dietary restrictions and allergies.

Food companies are responding to calls for more nutritious options by reformulating processed foods with healthier ingredients, less fat, less sodium, and less sugar. For example, pizzas are increasingly made with whole grain crusts, low-sodium sauce and reduced fat cheese; chicken nuggets use a whole grain breading and are baked rather than deep-fried; and french fries are often without trans fat and baked instead of fried. Many schools are now serving baked sweet potato fries.

Milk Choices: 

Eden Prairie Schools offers skim, 1%, and skim chocolate milk. According to the USDA, 70% of girls and 60% of boys (ages 6-11) do not consume the recommended daily amount of calcium. Experts agree that to ensure intake of calcium, vitamin D, protein and other nutrients important for growth and development, children and adolescents should drink flavored milk rather than avoid milk which is why chocolate milk is offered as an option. Flavored milk delivers the same nutrient package as regular milk and the 2005 Dietary Guidelines state that small amounts of sugars added to nutrient-dense foods, such as reduced-fat milk products, may enhance the taste, thus improving nutrient intake without contributing excessive calories.

Breakfast consists of the following food components:

• Fruits (or vegetable substitutions)
• Grains or optional meat/meat alternatives such as yogurt
• Milk

Students at any grade level must select at least three components (one food item may count as two components, e.g. pancakes).  One of the choices selected must be at least a 1/2 cup serving of fruit or vegetable.

Chocolate milk is not served at breakfast.

Lunch consists of the following food components:

• Fruit
• Vegetable
• Grains Meat/Meat Alternate
• Milk
• Students must choose a fruit and/or vegetable plus at least two other full components.

Health Inspections: 

Every school's inspection report is posted in each kitchen.