With the goal of encouraging high school students to eat healthy, the Newtown school district’s food service contractor, Chartwells, will be making some menu changes that they hope will encourage students to make better choices.
To accomplish this task, the company is steering away from the national health directives that have stiff nutritional requirements students reject, and therefore, end up wasting food. That does not mean, however, they do not intend to encourage good nutrition, and make healthy food available, according to food service officials. But students will also be able to buy grilled foods, such as hamburgers and hotdogs; select a slice of pizza with a side salad, or a fresh deli sandwich with milk. The cafeteria will also be getting a digital sign that will list menu items and other information that might be of interest to students.
The district will continue to offer hot lunches in the elementary grades that meet federal nutrition standards, but for older students will allow them to be selective consumers. The ala carte menu options are expected to provide about $35,000 worth of revenue.
The Newtown school board this week endorsed the approach, and approved the annual contract with the company.