Both school breakfast and lunch programs should be revamped according to the report released yesterday by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science (available now to download free). Their recommendations include:
- Increasing the amount and variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
- Setting a minimum and maximum level of calories
- Focusing more on reducing saturated fat and sodium
There is also a webcast of the report release. "The programs that nourish so many American schoolchildren need to reflect the latest child health and nutrition science given the extent to which dietary habits shape lifelong health," said committee chair Virginia A. Stallings.
