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After school, kids are hungry, and at USD 382’s Beyond the Bell program that extends the day past the 3:30 dismissal, they get a snack.
Sometimes it’s carrots, apples, yogurt or cheese sticks — healthy stuff.
The kids like them, Director Gina Bates said.
Some snacks are less healthy — pre-packaged crackers, pastries, funnel cakes or a small fruit-type pie that Bates thinks is cherry.
Food service regulations, budget concerns and preparation time all influence what is served Beyond the Bell.
To get snacks that are good for the kids and that they like more often, Beyond the Bell is thinking beyond of the box and has strengthened an already-established alliance with County Extension Agent Jodi Drake.
Drake has been a frequent visitor at Beyond the Bell as well as in classrooms during the school day, talking to students about healthy food and usually leading them in some kind of food preparation activity.
In her programming with adults, Drake leads a Strong Women exercise class developed at Tufts University in Boston. As a result of that class, Pratt County was a stop on a nationwide tour last fall by Dr. Miriam Nelson of Tufts, who challenged a group of women to establish a Change Club and find one important project as their focus.
Drake, whose daughter stays after school at Southwest Elementary, suggested helping with snacks as one choice for the group’s consideration. She has some Change Club money from Tufts to throw into the pot, as well as a ready source of volunteers to help with activities. Last week, the Pratt Elks Club and Pratt Regional Medical Center made contributions with the expectation that more money would allow for the purchase of more fresh fruits and vegetables.
Working together, Bates, Drake and food service director Sharon Ward have set some guidelines: two or three fruits or vegetables each week, one whole grain food, each week, milk once or twice, and water every day. Juice will still be on the menu, but not every day — although more nutritious than soda, ounce for ounce, the sugar content is the same. They might have a sugary snack once a month.
Drake will step up her monthly visits to weekly, helping the kids prepare their own snacks.
“I’ve found kids are more likely to eat what they make, whether it’s snacks or dinner,” she said.
Changes in food service at Beyond the Bell are voluntary.
After school, kids are hungry, and at USD 382’s Beyond the Bell program that extends the day past the 3:30 dismissal, they get a snack.
Sometimes it’s carrots, apples, yogurt or cheese sticks — healthy stuff.
The kids like them, Director Gina Bates said.
Some snacks are less healthy — pre-packaged crackers, pastries, funnel cakes or a small fruit-type pie that Bates thinks is cherry.
Food service regulations, budget concerns and preparation time all influence what is served Beyond the Bell.
To get snacks that are good for the kids and that they like more often, Beyond the Bell is thinking beyond of the box and has strengthened an already-established alliance with County Extension Agent Jodi Drake.
Drake has been a frequent visitor at Beyond the Bell as well as in classrooms during the school day, talking to students about healthy food and usually leading them in some kind of food preparation activity.
In her programming with adults, Drake leads a Strong Women exercise class developed at Tufts University in Boston. As a result of that class, Pratt County was a stop on a nationwide tour last fall by Dr. Miriam Nelson of Tufts, who challenged a group of women to establish a Change Club and find one important project as their focus.
Drake, whose daughter stays after school at Southwest Elementary, suggested helping with snacks as one choice for the group’s consideration. She has some Change Club money from Tufts to throw into the pot, as well as a ready source of volunteers to help with activities. Last week, the Pratt Elks Club and Pratt Regional Medical Center made contributions with the expectation that more money would allow for the purchase of more fresh fruits and vegetables.
Working together, Bates, Drake and food service director Sharon Ward have set some guidelines: two or three fruits or vegetables each week, one whole grain food, each week, milk once or twice, and water every day. Juice will still be on the menu, but not every day — although more nutritious than soda, ounce for ounce, the sugar content is the same. They might have a sugary snack once a month.
Drake will step up her monthly visits to weekly, helping the kids prepare their own snacks.
“I’ve found kids are more likely to eat what they make, whether it’s snacks or dinner,” she said.
Changes in food service at Beyond the Bell are voluntary.
Beginning in July, new federal standards for school food service will take effect, with some being phased in over a period of years.
The new standards, the first in 15 years, were unveiled in late January by First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Key components include increasing servings of fruits, vegetables and whole grain-rich foods, and decreasing fat and sodium content of meals.
Nearly 32 million children participate in school lunch programs, and according to the Centers for Disease Control, 17 percent of adolescents are considered obese, triple the rate from a generation ago.
While not disagreeing with the goal of providing healthier fare for children, some food service directors say the requirements will cost more money, require more time for meal preparation and result in more plate waste.
The new standards are expected to cost $3.2 billion over the next five years. Schools will get an additional 6 cents a meal. Evaluating the effect on USD 382’s food service budget and school lunch prices is on the “to-do list” for Suzan Patton, who will step up from assistant to superintendent next year.
