Valley View is Planting the Seeds of Good Nutrition

School cafeteria lunches may conjure up memories of salty, calorie-laden foods such as pizza, greasy hamburgers and  tater tots washed down by milk shakes, chocolate milk or pop — and topped off by a couple of chocolate-chip cookies.

But those days are but a distant memory in , officials say. Thanks to the efforts of its food service department, which serves more than 16,000 meals daily, students are treated to a wide variety of healthy choices including fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, hot vegetables, whole-grain breads and one-percent or skim milk.

When the ever-popular tater tots are on the menu, they are now baked, rather than fried. In fact, according to Meghan Gibbons, director of food services at Valley View, fryers no longer exist in district kitchens for grades kindergarten through eight, and all deep-fat fryers will be removed from both high schools in the 2012-13 school year.

Gibbons said the district serves products with “nutrition integrity,” such as nachos made with 90-percent lean beef, whole grain tortilla chips and low-fat cheese, turkey dogs and pizza with a whole-grain crust.

“Nutrition integrity means that students like them, but they are healthier choices; they are nutrient-dense,” Gibbons said.

This fall, menus for all elementary schools in the district began meeting the criteria for First Lady Michelle Obama’s Healthier U.S. School Challenge, which, in conjunction with USDA guidelines, offers whole grains each day, dark green and orange vegetables three times per week and beans and legumes once a week. Sodium is also restricted as is fat, sugar and calorie content.

And rather than drinking pop with their meals, students may choose one-percent or skim milk, bottled water and four-ounce or less containers of 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice.

In Valley View middle schools, students are offered a variety of options — from deli sandwiches, subs and wraps to salads, yogurt and hot foods — and even potato chips (baked, of course).

At the high school level, combo meals cost the same as a-la-carte entrees, encouraging students to add fresh fruits and vegetables to their selections. And neither regular nor diet pop is sold in high school cafeterias.

On the menu for the district’s future goals is a plan to partner with a local chef to “develop and promote simple, healthy entrees that students enjoy.”

According to Tracie Suter, assistant director of food services at Valley View, plans are to take good nutrition even one step further. She said the district has identified two possible sites where school gardens could be begun as early as next year, with the long-term goal of planting the seeds of good nutrition with a garden at every district school.

For menu and nutrition information for Valley View School District, visit www.vvsd.org/departments/food.