SIKESTON -- New national standards for healthier school lunches took effect when the new school year began, but it's too soon to see how much of an impression they're making on students.
The new nutritional requirements call for less sodium and more whole grains and fruits and vegetables. Perhaps the biggest and most noticeable change is that all grain foods in school lunches must be "whole grain rich" or made with a whole grain content of 51 percent.
"All of it is out of my control," said Hugh McGowan, director of food services for Sikeston R-6 School District, about the U.S. Department of Agriculture requirements.
Sikeston R-6 contracts food service provider Aramark to offer meals to its students. McGowan is also food service director for Scott County R-4 "Kelly" Schools in Benton, St. Francis Xavier School in Sikeston and St. Henry School in Charleston.
While high school students will often voice their opinions on the food changes; the younger students simply won't eat something if they don't like it or it's not appealing to them, McGowan said.
The "Smart Snacks in School" nutrition standards are also being implemented this year and call for healthier items in school vending machines and snack bars.
"It affects everything we sell," McGowan said of the change.
For example, beverage vending machines are filled with water (with or without carbonation), 100 percent juices and diet sodas, McGowan noted. High schools and middle schools may sell up to 12-ounce portions while elementary schools may sell up to 8-ounce portions.
All food sold in schools must be a "whole grain-rich" grain product; or have as the first ingredient a fruit, a vegetable, a dairy product, or a protein food. Snack items must also have 200 calories or less, 230 milligrams or less of sodium. There are also fat limits and sugar limits.
McGowan said he doesn't have any statistics yet on how lunches and vending machine sales are going so far this new school year.