Running Head: CHOOSE MY PLATE

Jailyn Jenkins
Choose My Plate
PPE 310: Health Literacy for Schools
October 24, 2015

CHOOSE MY PLATE
Madison No. 1 Middle School Breakfast & Lunch Evaluation

CHOOSE MY PLATE

Introduction
Childhood obesity is a major obstacle that we face as a nation and have been fighting to
combat for years. With multiple resources and means of legislation in place, it has become an
attainable goal to reduce childhood obesity and improve the overall health of the children within
this nation. When schools provide breakfast and lunch to their students, they are required to meet
national guidelines that guarantee students a balanced and healthy supply of food. The purpose
of this assessment is to measure the holistic benefit of the meals served at Madison No. 1 Middle
School. Two meals were entered into a food tracking system to be measured and evaluated as to
whether or not the meals met the requirements or suggested portions of various food groups.
National Standards for School Meals
The National Standards for School Meals requires that schools increase the accessibility
of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat fluid milk in school meals. It also
requires that they reduce the levels of sodium, saturated fat and trans-fat in meals, while being
able to meet the nutrition needs of the students within their daily calorie requirements (2012).
Madison No. 1 Middle School partially meets that guideline. While they seem to provide the
students with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and carbohydrates, the protein and dairy options are in
dire need of reevaluation. Although some days offer meals are richer in both dairy and protein,
like Chicken Quesadillas or Turkey and Cheese sandwiches; every meal needs to be balanced
and sufficient in all food groups for the benefit of the students.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
The three main focal points articulated in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans include:
balancing calories with physical activity to manage weight, consuming more of certain foods and

CHOOSE MY PLATE

nutrients like as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and seafood,
and consume fewer foods with sodium, saturated fats, trans-fats, added sugars, cholesterol, and
refined grains (2010). That being said, a child who consumes French toast, Cereal or Whole
Wheat Toast, Fresh Fruit and 100% juice for breakfast, a lunch including Spaghetti & Meatballs,
Turkey & Cheese Ciabatta, or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as the main dish, with broccoli,
carrots, and fresh & canned fruit, falls short of the guidelines because they have only consumed 1
ounces of the necessary protein and cups out of the necessary 3 cups, which reflect a major
deficiency. The ratio of fruits and vegetables are fairly exceptional; while there could be more
grains included in the meals, a student would consume the majority of the necessary foods in the
first two meals, leaving a little more lee-way for dinner if need be. The student would still
need to be physically active for at least one hour each day and based on the physical activity
assessment from earlier this year; the student would obtain between 60% and 100% of their
necessary activity during the school day, depending on their electives.
Nutritional Improvements
The breakfast option included: French toast, Cereal or Whole Wheat Toast, Fresh Fruit
and 100% juice. The lunch options included: Spaghetti & Meatballs, Turkey & Cheese Ciabatta,
or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as the main dish. The available sides included broccoli,
carrots, and fresh & canned fruit. Based on the lunch calendar, the school meals seem to be
mostly balanced with a high supply of fruits and vegetables and are limited in the supply of salty,
saturated, and fatty foods. Although there generally is a high supply of fruits and vegetables,
some nutritional suggestions for improvement are the incorporation of more dairy and protein in
the school breakfasts and lunches. If a student consumes the school breakfasts and lunches on a
daily basis, they should be receiving about 66% of their daily nutrition from those meals and the

CHOOSE MY PLATE

remaining 34% at home. The target for dairy consumption is 3 cups and 5 ounces of protein
each day. Based on one school day of meals, a student would receive less than 30% of the target
in both food groups, when both are vital and necessary for child functionality and development.
Dairy can be a controversial food group to push for due to the variation of allergies and
intolerances, so dairy has to be promoted in a variety of ways, while the protein simply needs to
be made available more often and in variation.
A suggested change in regards to dairy inclusion in meals is to provide multiple options
that are high in calcium, such as: yogurt, cheese, and even lactose free milk if possible. By
including multiple choices of dairy products, students may have a higher consumption rate since
monotony is minimal. Also, by making other dairy snacks available instead of only drinks (i.e.
milk) there may be a higher consumption rate since the milk will not be competing with 100%
fruit juice on a daily basis. Although milk may be the easiest product to purchase and include in
school meals, variation is important and will allow more students to enhance their consumption
of dairy on a daily basis.
Another suggestion for nutritional improvement in the school meals is to include more
foods rich in protein on a daily basis. Although meats generally are good sources of protein,
other foods, such as beans, peas, and eggs are high in protein as well. Protein is a key component
in natural body repairs, the production of chemicals and enzymes, and the overall functionality.
Based on the two meals entered into the meal tracker, a student would only be consuming 27%
of the necessary protein in a day, which is far too low. By incorporating protein-rich dishes,
sides, and alternatives, the overall breakfast and lunch program at Madison No. 1 Middle School
can be more balanced and beneficial for student consumption.

CHOOSE MY PLATE

Reflection
It is commonly said that what you put in is what you will get out and in regards to
healthy eating options and habits, it is vital that our school programs are meeting the national
guidelines. Our students grow each day, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, so it
is important that they are receiving the proper nutrition each day that they are at school. Based on
the food tracking tool referenced throughout this assessment, Madison No. 1 Middle School
partially meets the guidelines. Their meals consistently include fruits, vegetables, and moderate
carbohydrates; however, dairy and protein are severely low. By making a few simple changes to
the options of dairy and protein, the students will have a greater variation of food in their diets,
which benefits the students long-term growth and development.
Although the school meals can be adjusted for greater variation and inclusion of certain
food groups, we as educators have to model for our students how to lead a healthy lifestyle.
From the meals we pack to the extracurricular activities we engage, we have to lead by example.
In addition to modeling positive practices, teachers have to make an effort to educate the students
on how to consume balanced meals, read labels, balance work and exercise, stress management,
and other components of healthy living. Even though it is not solely our job to teach students to
live a healthy lifestyle, our main goal is to holistically prepare our students for life, which
includes healthy habits. All-in-all, there are various components that affect a students health,
from their school meals to their overall awareness, but in the end the education and impact can
begin with a teacher.

CHOOSE MY PLATE

7
References

Dietary Guidelines for Americans. (2010, January). Retrieved October 24, 2015, from
http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2010.asp#overview
Lunch Menus - Madison Elementary School District. (n.d.). Retrieved October 24, 2015, from
http://www.madisonaz.org/parents/lunch-menus/
MyPlate. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved October 24, 2015, from http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
about.html
Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. (2012).
Federal Registrar, 77(17), 4088-4089. Retrieved October 24, 2015, from
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-01-26/pdf/2012-1010.pdf