Last year, school districts throughout the country and right here in San Diego revamped their school lunch menus to comply with updated nutrition standards. The new USDA guidelines call for less salt and fat and more fruit and vegetables. And students are now required to pick out a nutritionally complete meal as they move through the cafeteria line.
Despite the changes, Crawford High School senior Alex says the school district could do better. She studied her school’s lunch offerings as part of The AjA Project’s Speak City Heights program at Crawford.
“The reason why I chose [this topic] is because I am lactose intolerant and I can’t drink milk that’s given at school,” Alex said. “I decided to do this topic because not all foods are good, but there are also foods that can be better.”
When asked about solutions, Alex said she “would go to the school board and demand a new school lunch menu with healthier options.”
The school district asks students to participate in taste tests, focus groups and surveys before it approves new menus.
