WCPSS Offers Students Healthier Choices in the School Cafeteria
August 28, 2009 - Students are being offered healthier options in the Wake County Public School System Child Nutrition Services cafeterias thanks to changes providing local produce and vending machine options with fewer calories. Marilyn Moody, WCPSS Child Nutrition Services director, talks with reporters at Southeast Raleigh High. |
 New flavored waters available in vending machines have 0 calories. |
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5.5 minute mp3 file |
Farm to School
Marilyn Moody, WCPSS Child Nutrition Services director, says WCPSS is one of 40 school systems participating in the NC Farm to School Co-op program (June 2009 Farm to School Video story). The NC Department of Agriculture sends out bids and procures fresh NC produce in season so that it can be delivered to each participating school system.
“There are federal regulations that determine what can and cannot be purchased for school cafeterias,” said Moody. “The NC Farm to School Program is a win-win situation for us eliminating our procurement and paperwork requirements while providing us with fresh produce from NC farmers.”
The program was set up by NCDA to benefit NC farmers and get more NC produce in school cafeterias. The state assumed the responsibility for all of the paperwork and meeting all the federal regulations. The state insures farms meet food safety requirements and carry appropriate insurance and then handles all purchasing, pick up and delivery.
The produce is harvested over the weekend and delivered on Monday mornings to schools. Each item is at its peak of ripeness. NC produce provided through the NC Farm to School program includes melons, many varieties of apples, strawberries, blueberries, sweet potatoes, cabbage and more. On Monday, WCPSS will receive a delivery of NC cantaloupe and watermelons that will be distributed to schools.
Beverage Changes
WCPSS vending machines, provided by Pepsi Bottling Ventures under an exclusive contract, will offer drinks with fewer calories to high school and middle school students in the 2009-10 school year. The change follows the company's announcement of compliance with guidelines set forward by the American Beverage Association and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation.
The Alliance’s Beverage Guidelines call for schools to offer bottled water, 100 percent juice with no added sweeteners and no or low calorie beverages.
Moody says the high school vending machine options with fewer calories mean water, zero or low calorie fruit flavored waters, flavored vitamin waters, and smaller serving sizes of sports drinks will be available. Middle schools will only offer water in vending machines. Vending machines in WCPSS schools are being changed this week to serve these drinks.
“We want to provide students healthier options and help them think about making healthier choices,” said Moody. “We believe removing more popular higher calorie drinks from the vending machines will mean less revenue for Child Nutrition Services, but it’s the right thing to do for children.”
In addition to the vending machines operated by Child Nutrition Services, schools may operate vending machines: some that are available to students and some that are only available to school employees. The school vending machines available to students will meet these new standards, too.
WCPSS operates the vending machines under a contract with Pepsi Bottling Ventures, LLC and complies with school board policy 5125 and state statute 115CV-264. Under these laws and agreements, no sugar carbonated drinks may be sold to students during the school day.
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