The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 is up for congressional consideration in upcoming months, shifting focus to foods served in our schools. The key concept currently promoted is better child nutrition.
The act, which will expire at the end of September, includes all the Federal child-nutrition programs, including the School Breakfast and the National School Lunch Programs, the Summer Food Service Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. It authorizes a $12-billion pay-out for lunch and breakfast for 31 million schoolchildren.
The current level does not provide sufficient funds for high-quality, healthy foods, according to a recent article in The New York Times, so more money is predicted to be in the works―the current administration added $1 billion more for child nutrition programs, including school food, in its 2010 budget proposal.
This should signal changes in the foods served in lunchrooms across America. The Senate is looking at legislation that would ban trans fat used for cooking and give the Department of Agriculture more power to set up more-stringent federal nutrition requirements for schools’ à la carte programs. The expected emphasis will be on fresh, healthy and nutritious foods and beverages, with offerings like grilled chicken and steamed broccoli supplanting chicken nuggets and canned peas.