Success Story: Meeting the Challenge of Providing Healthy Meals for Students in Stanly County
A trip through the lunch line in a Stanly County elementary school is much different today than it was just a few years ago. These days, Little Debbie is absent, while Otis Spunkmeyer and Lance items are slimmer versions of their former selves.
Today, yogurt and baked potato chips are more common. The selection of a la carte items is more limited to lower calorie, lower fat options. Milk is one percent fat or less, all juice offered is 100 percent fruit juice and the breads are whole grain. A tour of the kitchen reveals that deep fryers have been removed and all foods are now cooked in an oven or in a steamer.
Stanly County schools are one of eight school districts in North Carolina that volunteered to participate in the pilot program for implementing Eat Smart: North Carolina’s Recommended Standards For All Foods Available in School.
Initially, the Stanly County Child Nutrition Staff was uncertain whether the Eat Smart Standards were realistic. After all, the development of new menus can be a huge undertaking and discontinuing the sale of popular a-la-carte items is scary in light of the need for Child Nutrition programs to be financially self-sustaining. However, the Child Nutrition Staff in Stanly County, North Carolina pressed on in the face of uncertainty, and proved to themselves and their community that the Eat Smart Standards are both doable and worthwhile.
"I think that one of the most important lessons that came from participating in the no-risk pilot is that the students will eat whatever you make available to them. They will buy fresh fruits and vegetables or yogurt in place of chips and cookies. It’s a scary step to take, but it’s well worth it."
Alison Francis, child nutrition director for Stanly County.
The Road to Success
“I think that one of the most important lessons that came from participating in the no-risk pilot is that the students will eat whatever you make available to them. They will buy fresh fruits and vegetables or yogurt in place of chips and cookies. It’s a scary step to take, but it’s well worth it,” says Alison Francis, child nutrition director for Stanly County.
Francis’ first challenge was to help students, staff and parents understand the changes that were about to happen in the school cafeterias. She approached the Division of Public Health’s Nutrition Education and Training staff with her concerns about educating the families of her students. They provided Francis a letter explaining the Eat Smart Standards and the implementation process, and she was able to send it out in advance of making the change. Additionally, Francis worked with the local newspaper in Stanly County, who ran an article on the Eat Smart Standards and the pilot program.
Francis found that her biggest challenge was creating menus to meet the guidelines outlined in the Eat Smart Standards. Menu items offered are required to meet certain dietary guidelines and it took some maneuvering to get everything just right. The nutrition software “Nutrikids” was very helpful in planning meals that met the Eat Smart Standards.
Nothing is ever achieved without first overcoming some adversity. However, the achievements in Stanly County elementary schools greatly outweighed the challenges.
As a result of the implementation of the Eat Smart Standards in Stanly County:
- The students in the Stanly County Elementary schools are making healthy food choices on their own.
- With fewer a la carte options available, children are moving through the lunch line at a faster pace and are enjoying their lunch periods more.
- The cafeteria staff is also saving time – they no longer spend time stocking displays of high calorie snacks
- There has been an increase in participation in both school lunch and breakfast programs, which helped their bottom-line.
- Students seem very pleased with their healthy snack options. Among their favorites: bananas, apples, pineapple push-ups, string cheese, kiwi and nonfat frozen yogurt (to replace ice cream). The student’s exposure to different fruits and vegetables is also very educational: some students had never seen a kiwi before.
- Not only are the students making healthier eating choices, the elementary school staff is as well.
Francis and the Stanly County Elementary Schools will continue with the Eat Smart Standards. Francis refuses to backtrack and is ready to tackle the middle schools next.
Stanly County Elementary Schools also use the Food for Thought module for nutrition education at the classroom level. More information on this and other modules can be found at www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com.
Stepping Stones...
- Students will make healthy choices on their own with a little bit of guidance
- Parents, teachers and administrators have all served as cheerleaders for the Eat Smart Standards.
Contact Information
Name, Title: Alison Francis, Stanly County Child Nutrition Director
Address: 1000-4 N. First Street
City, State, Zip: Albemarle, NC 28001
Phone: 704-581-0597
Fax: 704-986-6694
Email: Alison_Francis@scs.k12.nc.us
