HEALTHY HUNGER-FREE KIDS ACT SIMPLIFIED

  • All students must have a vegetable or a fruit or a combination of the two on their trays.

  • Elementary, middle, and high school students may take as many vegetables as they wish.

  • Fruits will be fresh, frozen, dried, or canned (with no sugar added, packed in light syrup, or fruit juice)

  • There will be more vegetables from the dark green, red, orange, legumes (dry beans) groups. Also, there will be fewer vegetables from the starchy vegetables group of corn, green peas, and lima beans.

The breakfast meals will follow the pattern prescribed below for students in grades K-5, 6-8, and 9-12.

K-5

6-8

9-12

Fruit

1 cup/day or 5 cups/week

Grains

1 oz/day or 7-10/week

1 oz/day or 8-10/week

1 oz/day or 9-10/week

Milk

1 cup/day or 5 cups/week

Calories

350-500/day

400-450/day

450-600/day

Saturated fat

< 10% of total calories/day

Sodium

540 mg/day

600 mg/day

640 mg/day

The National School Lunch Program meal pattern will follow the guidelines below for students in grades K-5, 6-8, and 9-12.

K-5

6-8

9-12

Fruit

1/2 cup/day or 2.5 cups/week

1 cup/day or 5 cups/week

Vegetables

3/4 cup/day or 3.75 cup/week to include:

  • 1/2 cup dark green (broccoli, Romaine, spinach)

  • 3/4 cup orange/red (carrots, tomatoes, red peppers)

  • 1/2 cup beans and peas (legumes)

  • 1/2 cup starchy (corn, potatoes)

  • 1/2 cup other (cauliflower, green beans)

  • 1 cup extra of a combination of above)

1 cup/day or 5 cups/week to include:

  • 1/2 cup dark green

  • 1.25 cup orange/red

  • 1/2 cup beans/peas

  • 1/2 cup starchy

  • 3/4 cup other

  • 1.5 cup extra

Grains

at least (1) 1 oz equivalent, up to 8-9/week

at least (1) 1 oz equivalent, up to 8-10/week

at least 2 oz equivalent, up to 10-12/week

Meat/Meat Alternative

at least (1) 1 oz equivalent, up to 8-10/week

at least (1) 1 oz equivalent, up to 9-10/week

at least 2 oz equivalent, up to 10-12/week

Milk

1 cup of 1% white or 1% chocolate per day or 5 cups/week

Calories

550-650/day

600-700/day

750-850/day

Saturated fats

< 10% of total calories/day

Sodium

< 1,110 mg/day

< 1,225 mg/day

< 1,280 mg/day

All of our grains are 80% whole grain.

Look for new recipe ideas coming this year to help our Food Service program incorporate more fruits, vegetables, and lean meat/protein choices into our menus. If you have any great ideas please share them with us via email to: boenschs@ags-schools.org

The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, Au Gres-Sims Schools, and the community will help our students become healthier eaters.