PALISADES SCHOOL HEALTHY FOODS INITIATIVE

Great things happening in the Palisades School Lunch Line:

                We hear it everywhere-the crisis that childhood obesity has become. The face of School lunch has experienced many changes over this past school year, here in the Palisades School District.              

Our children are open minded and eager to learn, we view our role in providing nutrition education and setting the proper example as a very important one. We believe when children understand why they should choose healthy foods, they are more likely to do so, both willingly and enthusiastically. We involve our students in taste testing, surveys, menu ideas and providing feedback. We decided to take a pro-active approach, we have introduced fresh salad bars in all schools, at all age levels. Each day we also offer a variety of fresh fruits, and vegetables to choose from with lunch. The goal is to encourage students to develop healthy habits.  At the High School and Middle School we offer flavorful, fresh Build Your Own sandwiches, and wraps at the Deli Bar.  There are more exciting healthy programs in the planning stages.

                As we continue to look at the nutritional value of foods, we are going to cook more fresh meats, and reduce the frozen pre-processed, pre-cooked, heat and serve meals.  You will hear about fresh, chicken, pork and beef used in our kitchens.  Scratch soups, and fresh baked items.  We now will display the nutritional value of a meal in its entirety. Identifying calories, carbs, fat, protein, sodium. We provide Tips on how to be mindful of foods as well as detail the benefits of certain foods. Our students are very important individuals, deserving our continued best. We are developing more take-home information, for students to share with their families.  The menu changes and our educational programs are put in place to offer a greater variety of healthy selections and create a deeper understanding of the importance of wise nutritional choices.

                Our Wellness mission has been carried forward this year by our District Wellness Committee. Changes have come from the collective input of this committee comprised of students, administrators, doctors, nutritionists, school nurses, and parents. Please stop by our school offices and visit our lunch cafeterias, to see the exciting changes. We aim to teach, and guide life-long healthy eating habits to students because students who learn healthy eating habits at a young age are more likely to make healthy decisions in the future.

                As part of our 3 year comprehensive plan, and our continued Mission; Inspired to lead, Prepared to succeed, we are committed to providing proper nutrition for our students, and to create an enriching environment based on Wellness in the Palisades School District.

Please call the Food Service Director, Gerry Giarratana, if you have any questions or comments on the School Lunch Program or would like more detail on our Wellness initiatives  610 847-5131 ext. 5002