Increased Fruit and Vegetables Options Served at Schools

According to a federal report released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 80 percent of schools nationwide now serve two or more vegetables per meal, up from 62 percent in 2000. While these statistics are promising, they are only half the battle. According to a report compiled by Sarah Amin, a researcher at the University of Vermont, children are throwing away 56 percent of the healthy options served at their school cafeteria. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recognizes that while access to healthy food is growing, children’s consumption of it is far from ideal and has implemented programs such as the Team Up for School Nutrition Success Initiative in which school personnel are trained to increase student participation.