Nutrition and Wellness
School nutrition standards have dramatically changed since the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 was signed into law. The most important reason for this change was due to the rapid increase of childhood obesity. The obesity epidemic affects nearly 1 in 3 children, making them at risk for preventable disease like diabetes and heart disease.
School meals play a critical role in providing the necessary nutrition children need while also helping them learn how to lead healthy lifestyles. Many kids consume as many as half of their meals a day in schools. Because of this huge responsibility, the Food Services Department at Carmel Clay schools has implemented many changes to be able to provide the most nutritious and healthy meals for our students.
School meals are designed to be age-appropriate and provide adequate amounts of calories, sodium, fat and protein; all within the appropriate serving sizes. The amount of fruits and vegetables offered have almost doubled at all grade levels. We are also starting to implement our Farm-to-School initiative by utilizing produce from the school garden, as well as using local and seasonal produce in our cafeterias.
We are always striving to provide the most tasteful and nutrient dense foods to our students so they are able to thrive during the school day.