The amount of money a school system is given for school-lunch programs is based on the number of children in the school who receive free or reduced-price lunches. On an average, in the contiguous 48 states, a school only receives from the federal government $0.25 to $0.28 for those who pay for their lunch; $2.37 to $2.39 for those who qualify for reduced-price lunch; and $2.77 to $2.79 for those who qualify for free lunch. Schools are required by the USDA to follow certain regulations with the food that is served; meals cannot contain more than 30% from fat, and 10% of calories from saturated fat. However, following these regulations does not make healthier options in school foodservice. The big question still remains: How can school systems implement more healthy options and changes under this restricted funding?

One way to start to make this happen is education about preparation and consumption of healthy foods. Educating foodservice employees is one of the first steps in the right direction. Most employees in school cafeterias have very little training and nutritional education.

Celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver is taking this movement very seriously and working very hard to start a new trend through public schools in America called the “Food Revolution.” In this movement he has set up the focus on training the employees who run school foodservices to learn new and healthier cooking techniques while still working within a budget. Kids can still get the same foods they love and want, such as pizza, but in a healthier manner. Oliver has numerous resources online to help educate foodservice employees about how to make good food that can still fit into the budget.

Photo: A whole-grain twist on arroz con pollo is possible with Indian Harvest’s Kansas Medley™ that blends wheat berries and wild rice with parboiled long-grain rice.

Another step that can be taken is as simple as talking and setting a good example for kids about healthy eating and making better choices when it comes to meals and snacks. A great way schools can integrate smart foods while working on a budget is to look local. Get together with local farms and work with them to get more fresh fruit and vegetables integrated into the daily menu. This not only promotes healthy eating, but is a good opportunity to also educate staff and students about sustainability.

Studies have shown that 78% of children ages 13-18 consume fewer than five servings of fruit and vegetables a week. Part of this issue is attributed to the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables offered in school foodservice for breakfast, lunch and snack options. The USDA is working to implement the National Farm to School Program, which is funded by the USDA to help bring more fresh fruits and vegetable to the tables of school foodservice.

Another great incentive in schools is to offer more low-fat, vegetarian and dairy-free choices. By doing this, schools will not only be offering better meal choices to students, but also accommodate those who have special dietary needs.

There are many different ways that healthier options can be made available to students in school cafeterias. It is up to us as culinary educators to take action and make these changes happen. Collectively, staff, students and parents have to work together with educators to make the decision that they want to live a healthier, more sustainable life and make it a priority for their schools to take action.

Jenni Schouppe is a candidate in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program at Johnson & Wales University, Providence, R.I.