Denver, Colorado – Coloradans are urged to do more than eating as nutrition advocates also hope Coloradans join other states in implementing an improved diet and food policies.
Friday will be the National Food Day; however, one major topic being argued upon is whether school systems have to implement the 2012 federal nutrition improvement standards. Douglas County and other districts have indicated that the guidelines have been affecting food sales, while increasing waste at the same time.
Denver Public Schools executive director of enterprise management, Theresa Hafner said schools should not get “free pass” out of the federal standards. She emphasized that good things are being done, and there’s no way to roll back such progress. Implementing improved diet and food policies in schools will not make children obese, Hafner pointed out. In fact, the new standards could be the kids’ urgent care clinic within the school premises, encouraging them to eat healthy.
Denver Public Schools is the largest system in the state with 80,000 students. Nearly 50,000 of them eat daily lunch. Thus, the school system aids in supplementing the necessity for fresh food, which are obtained through the district property farms or purchase from Colorado vendors when possible. Both students and farmers in the state are provided with an urgent care near me facility through the nutrition guidelines, considering a salad bar for instance.
Managing director of Health Elevations of the Colorado Health Foundation, Michael Booth researched a relevant article recently, and found that state school systems are continuously finding ways in order to meet nutrition guidelines. Booth said policy makers can make bigger policy levers in improving the food system for all.
Hafner has acknowledged that larger districts find it easy in purchasing food at the best price, considering their buying power, while smaller districts encounter problems in doing so, leading in difficulties in meeting improved diet and food policies. However, she emphasized that a team approach is vital, instead of giving up. Every concerned agency should provide urgent care and immediate attention towards the issue.
Also, the state increased the percentage of schools, which offer school breakfast to their students last year. As a sort of urgent care clinics within the school cafeterias, programs like the Breakfast After the Bell brought healthy breakfast to thousands of new students.
Colorado is expecting to spend about $170,000 during the first year of alignment with the federal improved diet and food policies, but the new school meals are expected to bring in nearly $14 million reimbursement from the United States Department of Agriculture.
