Child Nutrition Services

Wake Ahead of State in the Implementation of Healthier Nutrition Standards

In August 2005, the NC General Assembly passed nutrition standards for foods served to students in grades K-5. A pilot of 132 elementary schools was partially funded to allow them to voluntarily meet the standards and determine what financial impact the standards would have on the self-supporting Child Nutrition programs.  At the end of five months, these schools lost $300,000 and were unable to afford the expensive healthier choices in the legislation.  The General Assembly postponed the implementation date until state funding could be provided to offset the losses.  However, two sessions of the General Assembly have come and gone, and the state’s nutrition standards are still not funded.
The implementation scheduled for July 2008 is now postponed until 2010.  State standards for middle and high schools are expected to follow once elementary school implementation has occurred. 
Wake County implemented many of the standards over the past ten years and had only a few to implement to be compliant with the state legislation.  Wake County has implemented many of the K-5 standards at middle and high schools as well.  Below are the state standards that Wake County meets even though the implementation date continues to be moved back. 

• When averaged over the week, reimbursable meals will contain:
  • 20 - 35% of calories from fat
• no more than 10% total calories from saturated fat
• no more than 100 mg of cholesterol
• Food preparation methods are limited to baking, roasting, broiling, boiling, and steaming.
• A minimum of 1 daily serving a whole grain products will be offered; whole grain foods will be increased gradually to a minimum of 8 servings per week as market availability of whole grain products increases to supply menu needs.
• Four fruits and/or vegetables will be offered daily.
  • Dark green, deep yellow or orange fruits or vegetables will be offered 3 or more times per week.
  • Fresh fruits or vegetables will be offered at least 4 times weekly at breakfast and/or lunch.
• Legumes will be offered at least 1 time per week.
• All milk choices will be 1% or less fat.