Millstone Twp. schools just say no to sweets
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

MILLSTONE — Some parents may not be happy with the school’s new policies regarding sugar and junk food, but the regulations extend far beyond the local district.

A parent of a Millstone Township school student, who asked not to be identified, sent an e-mail out last week complaining that class parties could no longer serve candy, cupcakes and other typical party foods.

When asked about the new policy, Board President Kathy Winecoff said that the state and federal governments have set new guidelines regarding nutrition in schools.

“It [The new policy] is an attempt to address the issue of childhood obesity,” Winecoff said. “The children need to be taught to make the proper choices in their diets.”

Winecoff said all schools have to adopt the new nutrition guidelines by 2007.

“If these policies are not instituted, we could lose some of our funding from the federal government,” Winecoff said.

Winecoff said township schools have adopted the policy now in order to be ahead of the game. She said some parents are upset about the changes.

“Now [parents] need to be concerned about what they are sending in for birthday parties and school parties,” Winecoff said, adding that some parents think this is a way to eliminate parties at school.

“I can assure you that this is not so,” Winecoff said.

Winecoff said the school staff received information on the new nutrition guidelines on the first day of school. She said the schools also sent memos home to parents and guardians about the policy.

Information about the district’s new nutrition policy is also on the district’s Web site and will be featured in an article in an upcoming edition of the elementary school’s paper, “It’s Elementary.”

Winecoff said, “Sometimes change is hard for people to accept, but we must do what we can to address the growing issue of childhood obesity.”

She said the school is just following state and federal mandates.

Assistant Superintendent Mary Ann Donahue said an article in the New York Times stated that 20 percent of New Jersey school districts have opted to update their nutrition guidelines this year, rather than waiting to do so.

Donahue said the school’s food service provider has complied with the new nutrition guidelines since last year.

The district’s newly adopted nutrition policy states that the board has recognized that child and adolescent obesity has reached epidemic levels in the United States, and that poor diet, combined with the lack of physical activity, negatively impacts student health and ability and motivation to learn.

The new policy states that the schools’ aim is to provide students with healthy and nutritious foods. The policy encourages the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, low fat milk and whole grains, supports healthy eating through nutrition education, encourages students to select and consume all components of the school meal, and provides students with the opportunity to engage in daily physical activity.

The new policy requires all reimbursable meals to meet federal nutrient standards as required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Child Nutrition Program regulations. It also requires that all items served as part of the After School Snack Program to meet the same standards.

The policy does not allow certain food items to be served, sold or given out on school property before the end of the school day. The foods that fall subject to these regulations include foods of minimal nutritional value as defined by U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations, all foods and beverages listing sugar, in any form, as the first ingredient, all food labeled “diet” that contains artificial sweeteners and all forms of candy.

According to the new policy, the district shall also limit students from purchasing products containing Trans Fats.

All snack and beverage items sold or served anywhere on school property have to meet certain regulations. Food must not have more than 8 grams of total fat per serving, with the exception of nuts and seeds and no more than 2 grams of saturated fat per serving.

Beverages can not exceed 12 ounces, with the exceptions of water and milk containing 2 percent or less fat. Whole milk shall not exceed 8 ounces, according to the policy.

The elementary school can only offer milk, water or 100 percent fruit or vegetable juices.

In middle and high school, at least 60 percent of all beverages offered, other than milk and water, have to be 100 percent fruit or vegetable juices.

According to the policy, no more than 40 percent of all ice cream and other frozen desserts can exceed the above standards for sugar, fat and saturated fat.

Food and beverages served during special school celebrations or during curriculum related activities are exempt from the policy, with the exception of soda, water, water ices, chewing gum and candy as these items have no nutritional value.

The new policy does not apply to medically authorized special needs diets, school nurses using certain food items during the course of providing health care to individual students, or certain special needs students.

The policy requires that the school provide adequate time for student meal service and consumption, a pleasant dining environment, and physical education or recess before lunch whenever possible.

The policy also states that the board should work toward expanding awareness about the new guidelines among students, parents, teachers and the community at large.