Are You School Lunch Savvy?
As students return to class and the cafeteria, test your smarts with our quiz
Students are heading back to school, and that means cafeterias are bustling again. The nation’s school nutrition professionals serve 5 billion healthy lunches a year as well as millions of breakfasts, snacks, and even suppers. Test your school food knowledge and see if you know as much as you think you do!
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?1 Approximately what percentage of public schools participate in the National School Lunch Program? (!img src="{_imgurl}06.jpg" !)
- 5 percent.
- 62 percent.
- 75 percent.
+ 95 percent.
! Almost all public schools and many private schools (!a href="http://www.fns.usda.gov/nslp/national-school-lunch-program-nslp" target="_blank"!)participate in the National School Lunch Program(!/a!), meaning they receive a federal reimbursement for each meal served that meets the program's minimum nutrition guidelines. For a school's meal program to receive a reimbursement, a student must be offered five lunch components: a serving of meat or an alternative protein such as legumes (e.g., soybeans); fruits; vegetables; grains; and milk and the student must select at least three.
?2 For every 10 students, approximately how many chose a reimbursable school lunch on a typical day in 2015? (!img src="{_imgurl}02.jpg" !)
- Two.
- Four.
+ Six.
! Nearly 55 million children attended public or private K-12 schools in 2015, and an average of (!a href="https://schoolnutrition.org/AboutSchoolMeals/SchoolMealTrendsStats/" target="_blank"!)30.5 million kids a day ate reimbursable school lunches(!/a!). Schools earned federal reimbursements ranging from about $3 per meal served free of charge to qualifying students to 29 cents per lunch sold at full price. Nationwide, reimbursements totaled more than $11 billion for the year.
- Eight.
?3 Who sets the minimum nutrition standards for the National School Lunch Program? (!img src="{_imgurl}03.jpg" !)
- Each state sets its own.
+ U.S. Department of Agriculture.
! Ever since President Harry S. Truman signed the National School Lunch Act in 1946, the USDA has overseen the program's nutrition standards and updated them periodically to reflect the latest science on children's dietary needs and health. States and school districts can establish complementary policies that lead to even healthier food and drink options, and (!a href="http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/fact-sheets/2015/01/state-and-national-school-snack-policies/" target="_blank"!)many have done so, particularly for snacks and beverages(!/a!).
- First lady Michelle Obama.
- U.S. Department of Education.
?4 Which entree could not be offered in a school lunch under USDA's current nutrition standards? (!img src="{_imgurl}04.jpg" !)
- Chicken tikka masala.
- Asian chicken and rice.
- Grilled hot dogs or burgers.
+ They all could be offered.
! USDA's standards do not restrict entree choices or cooking methods; each district or school determines its menu and how to prepare foods. Instead, the national standards require that meals provide (!a href="http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/analysis/2016/03/14/5-ways-healthy-school-lunches-meet-goals-of-national-nutrition-month" target="_blank"!)the calories and nutrients that all kids need (!/a!)and that they avoid excessive fat, sodium, and sugar. Thanks to the creativity of school nutrition professionals, nearly every kind of cuisine is being served somewhere in America's schools within today's nutrition guidelines.
?5 After USDA updated the school lunch standards in 2012, what changes in eating behavior were seen among Connecticut middle schoolers? (!img src="{_imgurl}05.jpg" !)
- They ate more fruit but less of their entrees.
+ They ate more of their entrees and vegetables.
! A 2014 study found that students finished off 84 percent of their entrees and 64 percent of their vegetables, up from 71 percent and 46 percent, respectively, in 2012. The analysis was one of several showing that (!a href="http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2016/04/healthy-school-lunches-improve-kids-habits" target="_blank"!)kids are choosing and eating healthier lunches(!/a!) since schools began meeting the updated nutrition standards.
- They threw away more fruit.
- They ate less of their entrees and the same amount of fruit.
?6 True or false: Each reimbursable lunch served to a high school student must have 750 to 850 calories. (!img src="{_imgurl}01.jpg" !)
- True.
+ False.
! USDA's standards include minimum and maximum calorie limits that increase by student age group. However, (!a href="http://meals4kids.org/federal-nutrition-standards-school-meals" target="_blank"!)the ranges apply to the average calories in all lunches that a school offers in a week(!/a!), not to each student's selections. This policy allows cafeteria staff to plan menus that include higher- and lower-calorie meals that help meet children's differing appetites and energy needs.
?7 Kids can practice healthy habits in the lunch line by remembering to choose foods that make their plates look like: (!img src="{_imgurl}07.jpg" !)
- The Earth.
+ A rainbow.
! (!a href="http://www.choosemyplate.gov/vegetables" target="_blank"!)Kids should eat vegetables of different colors(!/a!) to help them get all the nutrients needed for their healthy development. Under USDA's meal guidelines, schools must offer vegetables from several color categories over the course of each week. Over the course of a week, a healthy rainbow might include apples and cabbage (red); carrots and squash (orange/yellow); broccoli and kale (green); and dark beans and eggplant (purple).
- A plant.
- A Christmas tree.
?8 In the 2013-14 school year, what percentage of elementary schools increased the variety of fruits and vegetables available at lunch? (!img src="{_imgurl}08.jpg" !)
- 10 percent.
- 28 percent.
+ 55 percent.
! More than half of public elementary (!a href="http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/farm/reports/issue_briefs/2015/rwjf419430" target="_blank"!)schools offered a greater variety of fruits and vegetables(!/a!) and more of these foods overall compared with the previous year, according to a nationally representative survey. Each lunch that meets current nutrition guidelines includes at least half a cup of fruits or vegetables for elementary students, and more for teens. Many schools go even further, offering children unlimited amounts of these healthful foods.
- 80 percent.
?9 USDA's most recent nutrition standard updates made students' bread and cereal choices healthier by requiring that these foods: (!img src="{_imgurl}09.jpg" !)
- Not contain nuts.
- Be gluten free.
+ Be made with more whole grains.
! At least half of the grains in breads, cereals, and other products in school meals must be whole, as opposed to processed or refined. Most children and Americans generally do not eat enough whole grains, which provide fiber and minerals that are important for health. Whole grain rice, pizza crusts, and (!a href="http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/analysis/2015/07/17/3-lessons-congress-should-take-from-school-nutrition-hearings" target="_blank"!)biscuits are among the many nutritious, tasty items(!/a!) that schools are serving.
- Not contain artificial flavors.
?10 Family members can help teach kids about healthy eating by: (!img src="{_imgurl}10.jpg" !)
- Making a lunch date to eat at their child's school.
- Encouraging school administrators, nutrition staff, and wellness committees to embrace healthy food policies and engage students in meal program decisions.
- Working with the local PTA to support school nutrition programs and healthy fundraising practices.
+ All of the above.
! Decisions about menus, snack programs, food-based fundraising policies, and other nutrition issues are made by school or district leaders. Learn more about the many ways (!a href="http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/analysis/2015/02/20/how-to-support-kids-nutrition-in-your-childs-school" target="_blank"!)that families can support students' access to healthy food and drink choices(!/a!)!
# grades:0|3|5|7|9|10: an F!(!br!) Hmm, remember we’re talking about today’s school meals, not your grandfather’s. Check out our info to learn more! | a D!(!br!) Seems like you’re overdue for a visit to the school cafeteria.| a C! (!br!)You’re not starved for school nutrition know-how, but you have room to improve.| a B! (!br!)Pretty solid, but you could brush up a bit on your school food facts.| an A! (!br!)Your lunch line knowledge is impressive.| an A+! (!br!)Clearly you’ve been feasting on facts about healthy school meals and snacks.