News: All 52 Loudoun Elementary Schools Meet HealthierUS School Challenge

(Nov. 16, 2012) - All 52 eligible Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) elementary schools received the Bronze Award from the United States Department of Agriculture’s HeathierUS School Challenge.


Among the criteria that must be met for this award are:

• Lunches meet United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards; 
• A different vegetable is served every day of the week; 
• A different fruit is served every day of the week; 
• Low-fat milk offered every day; 
• Calories from total fat must be at or below 35 percent per serving; 
• Nutrition education is provided; 
• Physical education is promoted; 
• The school division has developed a wellness policy.

The 52 cafeteria managers who made this award possible, along with their principals, were recently honored during a ceremony at the LCPS Administrative Offices in Ashburn.

“We know that hungry children don’t learn. We know what you do is so important to everything going on in our schools instructionally,” LCPS Superintendent Dr. Edgar B. Hatrick III told the cafeteria managers.

“You’ve got to figure out how you make food nutritious and also appealing to students. It doesn’t do any good to hand them a (healthy) lunch and have them throw it in the trash and buy ice cream.”

LCPS Food Services Supervisor Jinny Demastes said the school system has made many changes in its menus to make them healthier. Whole-grain items have been added to the menu and chicken products have been changed so they no longer have any filler. (They’re also not deep-fried as they are at many fast-food restaurants.)

Biodegradable trays are now part of the lunch line and a lot more fresh fruit and vegetables are offered.

“We’re definitely making the effort, but it has to be in small steps,” said Demastes. “If you start throwing things at kids that they’ve never seen before they’re not going to try them all at once.”