Cafeteria Improvement Motion

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Cafeteria Improvement Motion

• Board President Marlene Canter
• AUGMENTED SCHOOL SAFETY, STUDENT HEALTH AND HUMAN
  SERVICES
• AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMITTEE
• December 8, 2005

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Purpose of School Meals Program

• Begun in 1946 the Federal School Meals Program
  seeks to reduce food insecurity and hunger among
  low income children
• 77 of LAUSD students qualify for free or reduced
  lunch
• These same students who are most at risk for
  hunger are at great risk of obesity since their
  neighborhoods often lack safe spaces to play and
  access to fresh, healthy food.
• This makes it that much more important that we
  ensure the food we provide at school is healthy
  meaning it is nutrient dense and meets USDA
  guidelines

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Cafeteria Improvement Motion Goals

• Increase Participation
• Set Goals to increase participation
• Research why students arent eating in the
  cafeteria
• Ensure students have enough time to eat and
  lunch is at an appropriate time

• Improve Nutrient Intake
• Give students nutritional content of entrees so
  they can make informed choices
• Demand healthier fare from vendors

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Increasing Participation

• PROGRESS - Food Services increased secondary
  student participation in the school lunch program
  from 17 to 42
• MORE ACTION NEEDED Still, 58 of secondary
  students choose not to eat a reimbursable
  lunchbreakfast participation is even lower
• ACTION Establish goals and develop a plan to
  reach non-participating students

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Student Surveys Identify Reasons for
Non-Participation

• Overcrowding
• Lack of Variety
• Food Safety

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Cafeteria Improvement Motion Boosts Participation

• ACTIONS
• Serve lunch at lunchtime
• Work towards additional lunch periods
• Identify food safety problems and fixes
• Facilities upgrades
• Customer service expectations for staff
• Seek input on preparation techniques

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Hunger and Obesity A Dangerous Paradox

• 3.1 million LA County residents live in
  households with someone struggling to put enough
  food on the table (according to UCLA Center for
  Health Policy Research)
• 36 of LAUSD 7th graders are overweight,
  according to California Department of Education
• Overweight children are also food insecure. They
  are consuming the wrong foods energy-dense,
  instead of nutrient-dense
• Schools Meals are an important response to
  hunger and to overweight providing essential
  nutrition for learning, and teaching long-term
  habits

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LAUSD A National Leader in Obesity Prevention
Policy

• 2002 Healthy Beverage Motion
• 2003 Obesity Prevention Motion
• Snack Standards
• Fruit and Vegetable Focus
• Salad Bars
• Cafeteria Plans to Increase Consumption of FV
• Second Chance Breakfast
• Physical Education
• Nutrition Education
• 2005 Cafeteria Improvement Motion

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Students Diets

• Every day two-thirds of California adolescents
  drink soda, and nearly half more than 1.5
  million in alleat fast food.
• By contrast, only a quarter or 800,000 in alleat
  five or more servings of fruits and vegetables
  each day
• Visit any secondary school cafeteria and you will
  see that students trays are filled with
  pepperoni pizza, nachos and cheeseburgers every
  meal

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Increasing Nutrients

• The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005,
  gives science-based advice on food and physical
  activity choices for health.
• A Healthy Diet
• Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and
  fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products
• Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs,
  and nuts and
• Is low in saturated fats, trans fats,
  cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
• New dietary guidelines and students behavior
  patterns merit modest modifications in foods
  offered

• CAFETERIA IMPROVEMENT MOTION
• - Reduces sodium, fat and sugar levels
• - Eliminates trans fat
• Uses more whole grains

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Supporters

• United Teachers Los Angeles
• Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
• City of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
• Healthy School Food Coalition
• California Food Policy Advocates
• Keck Diabetes Prevention Initiative
• South L.A. Childhood Obesity Brain Trust
• Los Angeles Regional Foodbank
• Los Angeles Food Justice Network
• L.A. Coalition to End Hunger Homelessness
• L.A.s Best Afterschool Partnership
• Center for Food and Justice
• Community Food Security Coalition
• Collective Space
• Coalition Los Angeles
• Alliance for a Better Community
• Blazers Youth Foundation
• Coalition For Economic Justice Northeast
• Numerous Individuals