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Nutrition Standards and Meal Requirements for National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs Phase I. Proposed Approach for Recommending Revisions (2008) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix E Critical Issues for Consideration by the Committee
Pages 143-148

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From page 143...
... Calorie requirements: Since the establishment of the school meal programs, the dietary concerns for children have shifted from preventing hunger and nutritional deficiencies to recognizing the increase of childhood overweight/obesity rates while enhancing cognitive performance and academic achievement. FNS requests that the committee provide recommendations for calorie levels in consideration of the best scientific information available (including the DRIs)
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From page 144...
... Nutrient standards: FNS requests that in addition to the current required nutrients, the IOM committee consider the DGA recommendations to minimize trans fats, as well as the intake recommendations for sodium, cholesterol, and fiber, which currently do not have quantitative standards in the school meal programs. Program operators are currently required to reduce sodium and cholesterol levels and to increase fibers levels.
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From page 145...
... Additionally, the Department requests that the committee consider a recommendation that would allow for a progressive or gradual reduction of sodium levels in school meals, such as interim targets, to ultimately meet a standard based on the DGA recommendation over a realistic period of time without adversely affecting program participation. Vitamin A standard: Current regulations require that school meals meet minimum levels of vitamin A expressed in Retinol Equivalents (RE)
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From page 146...
... In the SBP, meal patterns and menu structures have been designed to provide schools with flexibility to provide meals that reflect a typical breakfast meal and avoid unnecessary burden on school foodservice operations. FNS requests that the committee consider such differences between NSLP and SBP meal service operations when making recommendations to increase the food groups encouraged by the 2005 DGAs in the FBMP breakfast meal pattern and the NSMP menu structure.
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From page 147...
... Changes to the meal patterns and nutrition standards must be feasible for school foodservice operators, and should not jeopardize student and school participation in the meal programs. To ensure that the combined set of recommendations are attainable, the Department requests IOM to include in the report separately for NSLP and SBP a set of four- week cycle menus for each of the recommended age groups that meet all recommendations, are relatively cost neutral and would not likely have an adverse effect on program participation.
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Key Terms

  • school meals
  • fns requests
  • program operators
  • product specifications
  • planning approaches

  • food labels
  • meal patterns
  • meal programs
  • regulations require
  • committee consider

  • program participation
  • fluid milk
  • sodium levels
  • school meal
  • school foodservice

  • offer versus
  • nutrition standards
  • nutrient standard
  • planning approach
  • trans fats

  • meal service
  • standard menu
  • school children
  • current menu
  • sbp meal

  • school nutrition
  • nutrition dietary
  • administrators rely
  • breakfast meal
  • program regulations


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