Type 2 Diabetes Management

School Lunch Changes With Type 2 Diabetes Management

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Lu Young RN

School lunches used to be nutrition minefield, high in fat, sugar, and salt.  But school lunch changes with type 2 diabetes management in mind are coming.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture has mandated the following changes:

•Decrease the amount of starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, corn and green peas, to one cup a week.

•Reduce sodium in meals.

•Establish calorie maximums and minimums for the first time.

•Serve only unflavored 1% milk or fat-free flavored or unflavored milk.

•Increase the fruits and vegetables kids are offered. The new rule requires that a serving of fruit be offered daily at breakfast and lunch and that two servings of vegetables be offered daily at lunch.

Over the course of a week, there must be a serving of each of the following: green leafy vegetables, orange vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, summer squash), beans, starchy and other vegetables. This is to make sure that children are exposed to a variety of vegetables.

• Increase whole grains substantially.

•Minimize trans fat by using products where the nutrition label says zero grams of trans fat per serving.

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Children are becoming more obese lately and there is an increase in risk with diabetes.  With school lunch changes with type 2 diabetes management in mind, there is move to decrease that risk.

Dana Bigham has seen the world of school nutrition make a complete 180-degree turnaround in the past 15 years.

Bigham, Victoria director of childhood nutrition, has seen cafeteria fryers vanish and be replaced by more fruits, vegetables and other healthy choice options.

“It’s changed a tremendous amount,” Bigham said.

The meal plan is something currently being pushed by First Lady Michelle Obama, Bigham said.

The idea is to decrease the increase of childhood obesity, which almost always leads to diseases such as diabetes.

Healthier options did not happen overnight. The transition has been happening since fall 2004.

To put the healthier foods concept in context, about 10 years ago only one bowl of fruit was put out during lunch. By the end of lunch, about half the bowl was left.

Today, six bowls are being put out and almost every fruit is taken, Bigham said.

Other foods have been swapped out slowly but surely over the years.

Whole milk is no longer served; it must be 1 percent and flavored milks must be under 20 grams of sugar. Also, rather than being served a certain meal, students are offered, again, options.

Keeping fats below 30 percent and saturated fats below 10 percent is also an important component of the square meals plan, Bigham said.

But what happens when kids are not at school?

Bigham thinks the idea of healthy eating has carried over into the their homes and community.

“It helps train them to eat the right things,” she said.

“It’s all for the better,” she said.

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School lunch changes with type 2 diabetes management may result in a healthier child, one that eats more vegetables and less fat, salt, and calories.  These changes do not come easy.  Many children are fond of the greasy pizza, sodas, and no-bake cookies.  These items are being fazed out slowly and soon more fruit, lean meats, and lower fat milks will be the norm.