Published: 06-08-07
AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Agriculture’s Healthy Students = Healthy Families Nutrition Advisory Committee held its first meeting and outlined areas of focus for recommendations to the agency as it reviews the state’s nutrition policy for public schools.“The nutritional health of our schoolchildren is extremely important to the future health of all Texans and this committee has undertaken a vital task to ensure the state’s nutrition policy meets the fundamental needs of our children and school districts” Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples said.
The advisory committee will make recommendations to TDA and Commissioner Staples about the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy program administration and the nutrition issues affecting Texas children. The state policy became effective Aug. 1 2004 for schools participating in the National School Lunch Program School Breakfast Program and the After School Snack Program.
In addition to setting the number of grams of fat and sugar Texas schoolchildren may have each week the state policy also establishes portion sizes for food items such as chips cookies bakery items and frozen desserts and limits the sale of foods that compete with a school’s operation of the breakfast lunch or after school snack programs
Some of the items Commissioner Staples charged the advisory committee’s three working groups to study include:
In addition to setting the number of grams of fat and sugar Texas schoolchildren may have each week the state policy also establishes portion sizes for food items such as chips cookies bakery items and frozen desserts and limits the sale of foods that compete with a school’s operation of the breakfast lunch or after school snack programs
Some of the items Commissioner Staples charged the advisory committee’s three working groups to study include:
• Identify any potential changes to the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy to improve service delivery increase student wellness increase meal participation and decrease rates of childhood obesity.
• Determine if barriers exist to participation in the School Lunch Program the School Breakfast Program the After School Snack Program and other related child nutrition programs and make recommendations to increase participation.
• Examine the availability of processed or prepackaged foods in school nutrition programs including the trans fatty acid content of commonly served items.
• Review the benefits of providing free breakfast to all public school students regardless of income.
• Review the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy and its implementation schedule to ensure that it is a fair and equitable approach to student nutrition.
Commissioner Staples charged the working groups to consult and receive input from a wide variety of individuals such as parents nutritionists healthcare professionals foodservice professionals and educators. The working groups will submit their recommendations to TDA by July 2. The 12-member advisory committee will review and discuss the recommendations with Commissioner Staples at an August meeting.
“I felt a real sense of willingness on the part of the committee to ensure that we have a fair and reasonable school nutrition policy that is good for the children of our state” said Traci Robertson executive director Purchasing Contract Services Lubbock ISD.
“I appreciate the opportunity to participate on this advisory committee and to help bring health physical activity and nutrition together as a coordinated effort to promote wellness for Texas children and their families” said Kelly Helland-Cline school health specialist Region IV ESC.
In addition to Robertson and Helland-Cline the other members of the committee are: Dr. Louis Stoerner superintendent Alief ISD; Dr. Roel Gonzales superintendent Rio Grande City CISD; Dr. Joanne Lupton Department of Nutrition and Food Science Texas A&M University; Sue Withers first grade teacher Gonzales ISD; Carey Dabney parent and chair of the Austin ISD School Health Advisory Council; Dora Rivas director Food and Nutrition Services Dallas ISD; Carolyn Watson director of Child Nutrition Montgomery ISD; Regina Abanathy child nutrition specialist Region IV ESC; Dr. Kimberly Edwards pediatrician Austin; and Marissa Rathbone director of Health and Physical Education Texas Education Agency.
Dr. Kimberly Edwards was elected chair of the committee.
For a complete list of the areas the Healthy Students = Healthy Families Nutrition Advisory Committee is reviewing please go to www.squaremeals.org and look under “What’s New.”
• Determine if barriers exist to participation in the School Lunch Program the School Breakfast Program the After School Snack Program and other related child nutrition programs and make recommendations to increase participation.
• Examine the availability of processed or prepackaged foods in school nutrition programs including the trans fatty acid content of commonly served items.
• Review the benefits of providing free breakfast to all public school students regardless of income.
• Review the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy and its implementation schedule to ensure that it is a fair and equitable approach to student nutrition.
Commissioner Staples charged the working groups to consult and receive input from a wide variety of individuals such as parents nutritionists healthcare professionals foodservice professionals and educators. The working groups will submit their recommendations to TDA by July 2. The 12-member advisory committee will review and discuss the recommendations with Commissioner Staples at an August meeting.
“I felt a real sense of willingness on the part of the committee to ensure that we have a fair and reasonable school nutrition policy that is good for the children of our state” said Traci Robertson executive director Purchasing Contract Services Lubbock ISD.
“I appreciate the opportunity to participate on this advisory committee and to help bring health physical activity and nutrition together as a coordinated effort to promote wellness for Texas children and their families” said Kelly Helland-Cline school health specialist Region IV ESC.
In addition to Robertson and Helland-Cline the other members of the committee are: Dr. Louis Stoerner superintendent Alief ISD; Dr. Roel Gonzales superintendent Rio Grande City CISD; Dr. Joanne Lupton Department of Nutrition and Food Science Texas A&M University; Sue Withers first grade teacher Gonzales ISD; Carey Dabney parent and chair of the Austin ISD School Health Advisory Council; Dora Rivas director Food and Nutrition Services Dallas ISD; Carolyn Watson director of Child Nutrition Montgomery ISD; Regina Abanathy child nutrition specialist Region IV ESC; Dr. Kimberly Edwards pediatrician Austin; and Marissa Rathbone director of Health and Physical Education Texas Education Agency.
Dr. Kimberly Edwards was elected chair of the committee.
For a complete list of the areas the Healthy Students = Healthy Families Nutrition Advisory Committee is reviewing please go to www.squaremeals.org and look under “What’s New.”
