Wednesday, October 17, 2018

The SAE Mobilus Resource Library


Tuesday, October 2, 2018

USDA Head Sonny Perdue Gives More Control to School Lunch Programs


California-based education leader Kristopher Dreyer most recently served as CEO of Maranatha High School in Pasadena. While leading the faith-based preparatory school, Kristopher Dreyer received recognition in the Huffington Post for his efforts to improve Maranatha's food program. 

As more people look to improve the health of their families, finding ways to create more nutritious and appealing school meals has become the focus of many parents, school leaders, and government officials across the country. In 2017, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue began working to give local schools more control in managing their breakfast and lunch menus. 

Although the USDA received criticism for what some perceived as a loosening of nutritional standards, Perdue has defended his position by stating that schools with more control will be better able to serve food that is both nutritious and palatable. For the 2018-19 school year, the USDA gave schools greater flexibility in meeting Obama-era requirements focused specifically on milk, sodium, and whole grains.

The USDA is currently preparing to publish its final rule on Child Nutrition Programs: Flexibilities for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Requirements. Ahead of the rule's release, Perdue recently hosted a roundtable discussion in Washington, D.C., to get feedback on the policy from school lunch officials and national school nutrition experts. Perdue and the USDA will continue to gather feedback while crafting the final rule, which is set to be released in late 2018.