Because of modern nutrition guidelines coupled with increasing food prices, schools have been forced to make food cuts to both costs and calories.

The new rules of school nutrition play a part of the higher cost because they call for an increase in servings of vegetables and fruit, a food school officials say is particularly costly — especially now.

A local school food director said updated nutrition standards plus increasing food costs will probably result in higher prices in school cafeterias across the state.

“A lot of schools are looking at increasing food prices,” said Cullman City Schools Support Services coordinator Anita Overture, who directs the school system’s child nutrition program. “In order to continue to have healthier foods we're going to have to pay more money.”

An increase to the cost of city school lunches would be the first hike in six years.

Donna Lewis, Cullman County Schools Child Nutrition coordinator, said the cost of produce, particularly bananas, have become difficult to afford — not only in schools, but in many homes.

“People can't afford that. It’s just easier for them to go get a double cheeseburger for $1 for their family than to buy fresh fruit and vegetables for them,” she said.

Overture agreed.

“Food cost is just skyrocketing,” she said.

The school officials said milk and other dairy products are becoming expensive. Overture said the high price of milk caused city schools to increase their single servings by 20 percent from $.25 to $.30.

“That's something I really hate to increase,” Overture said.

Overture said overall, city schools have done a good job to cut food costs by eliminating waste. She lauded teachers at East Elementary School who have given the school cafeteria manager information on student attendance to reduce over-preparation.

“The teachers are stepping in and giving us a plate count,” Overture said. “They are helping the manager forecast. That translates to us not wasting food; we are not preparing more than we need.”

Lewis said county schools have always reduced their food cost by participating in the United States Department of Agriculture school nutrition programs.

<h1>A Brave Nutrition</h1>

Despite the higher cost of healthy food, both Lewis and Overture say they support the food initiatives that have fostered several cafeteria transformations. Going out are deep fryers — machines that may have played some part in Alabama’s top-spot in state ranking of childhood obesity.

“Since 2005, we can no longer purchase any frying equipment,” said Lewis. "As they've gone out, we've had to replace those with something else.”

The deep fryer is only a memory at Cullman City Schools with the exception of the newest school, Cullman Primary, which never had a fryer, a point of pride for Overture.

“We actually started early there in trying to incorporate healthier preparation of food,” she said.

Gone with the fryers are whole milk dairy products and other not-so-healthy offerings.

“Foods with minimal nutritional value — we just can't have them anymore,” Lewis said.

Lewis said schools are required to offer low-fat milk (1 percent milk fat), skim milk, and flavored low-fat milk such as chocolate or strawberry milk.

She said she believes the offering of flavored milk is required to encourage children to drink milk.

“Some children aren’t going to drink milk, period,” she said. “The benefits of drinking milk and having the calcium outweigh that extra sugar content.”

Overture and Lewis said changes in school food standards have created a need for what Overture calls “a transition.”

“You have to develop a taste for non-fried food,” Overture said.

For the most part, Overture said students have adjusted. However, one item students seem to only like fried is fries.

“We had to go to a baked product,” said Overture, who says fewer meals now contain the side item because of its lack of popularity as a baked food.

Overtone and Lewis said popularity is important. To make sure schools are serving foods favored by students, officials seek input from pupils being served. Amy Emmert, manager of the East Elementary lunchroom, said Principal David Wiggins conducted a survey of school sixth graders last year in an effort to improve student satisfaction.

“I try to go out there and talk to them, too,” Emmert said. “I see that we've really got to become student oriented with our food choices,” said Overture.

Lewis said county school officials also like to hear from students. Cold Springs students were recently allowed to try a French bread pizza made by a company trying to win a state bid to supply their food to Alabama public schools. The students’ comments may play a role in its placement on future school lunch menus.

An item that seems to meet both school standards — delicious and nutritious — at elementary schools is a fruit slush made with ice and 100 percent natural fruit juice.

“That's a great way to encourage them to eat healthier,” Lewis said about the snacks. “A lot of students do not like fruit, but they love these slushies.”

<h1>Beyond the cafeteria</h1>

Lewis said school nutrition is about more than just the lunchroom. She said teachers are now expected to educate students about the importance of eating healthy foods.

“School nutrition means the whole school environment," she said.

All schools are required to adhere to standards developed in 2005 by Alabama’s Healthy Snack Standards for Foods and Beverages at School, a committee appointed by Education Superintendent Joe Morton to focus on decreasing fat and sugar, increasing nutrient density and moderating portion sizes of snacks and drinks served at schools.

These guidelines extend beyond school cafeterias to include classroom parties.

“Teachers have been encouraged to substitute non-food items as classroom rewards,” said Overture.

However, she points out that this does not mean snack foods cannot be brought into the class room, a topic that she said generated some controversy several years ago.

“There was a big controversy over the cupcake issue,” she said, adding the sweet treats are still allowed in the classroom. “Certainly they can brink cupcakes to the party,” she said. “We're just asking parents to be conscientious of what they bring.”

Lewis said making sure parents are nutrition savvy is another role of the county schools that sends out nutrition topic brochures out with student report cards and progress reports.

“The biggest challenge has not been from children, but parents and school administration to buy into it,” Lewis said.