Health Initiative Brings Unlimited Fruits & Veggies To Students in AISD
By: Marlisa Goldsmith
Updated: February 8, 2012
"Cucumbers, and tomatoes, jicama sticks, yam sticks, sugar snapped peas," lists Becky Stoots, the production manager at Abilene High School.
They are just of the few new menu items your child may mention when you ask them what they had for lunch.
It's part of Abilene ISD's health initiative.
"In the past you could serve either fruit or a vegetable or a combination. Now they're requiring that you always serve a fruit and you always serve a vegetable," says Joann Knox the director of child nutrition for AISD.
Stoots sees how well this initiative works each and every day.
"I think they're responding extremely well to the program. They ask for the things we don't have in the bowl. They take more fruits and more vegetables," says Stoots.
Normally when you walk through a school cafeteria line for lunch you'll reach over and grab a juice and milk.
While juice does contain nutritional value, it's sugar content is extremely high.
According to AISD's nutrition department, there are approximately 12 cubes of sugar found in the container.
AISD hopes to eventually phase out the sugar packed juice and continue to offer the option of milk which contains only 3 cubes of sugar as well as an unlimited supply of fresh fruits and vegetables.
"A lot of people do not realize the impact that sugar has on your general health," says Knox.
Which is why Abilene ISD is working hard to help kids learn how to make healthy decisions at a young age.
"I believe if the program continues, and they start in elementary, by the time they get to my level of high school, they'll be eating all that a lot more," says Stoots.
They are just of the few new menu items your child may mention when you ask them what they had for lunch.
It's part of Abilene ISD's health initiative.
"In the past you could serve either fruit or a vegetable or a combination. Now they're requiring that you always serve a fruit and you always serve a vegetable," says Joann Knox the director of child nutrition for AISD.
Stoots sees how well this initiative works each and every day.
"I think they're responding extremely well to the program. They ask for the things we don't have in the bowl. They take more fruits and more vegetables," says Stoots.
Normally when you walk through a school cafeteria line for lunch you'll reach over and grab a juice and milk.
While juice does contain nutritional value, it's sugar content is extremely high.
According to AISD's nutrition department, there are approximately 12 cubes of sugar found in the container.
AISD hopes to eventually phase out the sugar packed juice and continue to offer the option of milk which contains only 3 cubes of sugar as well as an unlimited supply of fresh fruits and vegetables.
"A lot of people do not realize the impact that sugar has on your general health," says Knox.
Which is why Abilene ISD is working hard to help kids learn how to make healthy decisions at a young age.
"I believe if the program continues, and they start in elementary, by the time they get to my level of high school, they'll be eating all that a lot more," says Stoots.
