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Back to School with the National School Lunch Program

As a new school year begins, how are you supporting the success of schools in your county?

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is an important part of the school day for most of the students across North Carolina.  More than half of parents in our state lack the financial resources to provide school lunches for their children without assistance, according to federal data, a situation that has worsened in recent years.

Most children in North Carolina participate in the National School Lunch Program, which provides no-cost and reduced-cost school lunches to eligible families. However, lack of knowledge about the program or forgetting to reapply each year are the biggest reasons that children miss out on the meals.

How do no-cost or reduced-cost lunches help? One lunch meets one-third of the daily nutritional needs of most children. Healthy eating patterns translate into academic performance, making these school meals a win-win. There are additional benefits for the school based on the number of students who receive no-cost or reduced-cost lunches, including reduced costs on technology services, testing fees, and college application fees.

Students at schools participating in NSLP can learn more about food with additional programs that are supported through USDA, like SNAP-Ed and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP).  Many Extension Educators are involved in these programs across the state and work closely with their School Health Advisory Committees (SHAC) to implement strategies and programs to support healthy eating and physical activity in their classrooms.

In Brunswick County, the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Agent, EFNEP Educator, and 4-H Program Assistant partnered with the county school system to provide training to PE teachers on “Creating Healthy Food and Physical Activity Environments in Schools” and introduce nutrition and health curriculum offered by Cooperative Extension.  One result from this informative day is that all Brunswick County Elementary Schools have colorful signage and floor clings that encourage healthy choices.

The Steps to Health Color Me Healthy program encourages children to experience fruits and vegetables through exploration using taste, smell, sight, and touch.  Fun songs with focused messages encourage children to get up and be active! To further the educational experience, many sites have incorporated the annual NC Crunch Day into their calendars in October.  Some schools have started gardens where children learn how vegetables grow.

Nutrition Education, farm-to-school programs, and enhanced built environments around food and nutrition are all important parts of teaching students about food, how it is grown, and the importance of fruits and vegetables in our lives.  Building partnerships with these groups is a great way to help those in your county make the healthy choice the easy choice.

Sources:

https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2018/08/22/school-lunches-more-essential-nc-families/

https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/school-lunch-resources

https://ncstepstohealth.ces.ncsu.edu/pse/schoolpse/

https://mailchi.mp/e4af50ae31b6/august-nutrition-newsletter?e=4abaa967c1

 

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Written by Riley Smith

Dietary guidelines are a resource tool that help Americans understand how to meet their body’s nutritional needs. Dietary guidelines promote health, and prevent chronic disease. In the U.S., more than half of all adults have one or more preventable chronic diseases, many of which are related to poor dietary intake and lack of physical activity. Frequent intake of convenience boxed, packaged, or fast foods make it difficult to stay on track. Convenience foods and fast foods are often high in sodium content, and have been linked to the following chronic diseases: 

  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)

On a food product’s nutrition facts label, the amount of sodium per serving will be listed, while the word salt may appear on the ingredient label. Did you know that a single teaspoon of table salt contains about 2,325 milligrams of sodium? The American Heart Association recommends a diet with less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day for a healthy person, and 1500 mg for an individual on a sodium-restricted intake. 

It may surprise you how much sodium you consume on a daily basis. The average American adult consumes about 3,400 mg of sodium per day, nearly 2.25 times the ideal level, and they may not even realize it! Dietary sodium is mostly (77%) found in processed and restaurant foods, with 12% added at the table or while cooking in the form of sodium chloride, also known as salt. Many of the following food products contain a lot more sodium than you may realize.

  • Convenience foods
  • Breads/rolls
  • Savory snacks (packed chips, popcorn, etc.)
  • Poultry
  • Deli meats
  • Condiments
  • Soups

These products contribute a significant percentage of sodium to your recommended daily value. When considering your sodium intake, try to visualize a teaspoon, which is almost exactly equal to your daily recommended value for sodium. You can use that ‘teaspoon’ portion limit to guide your eating habits throughout the day. Another way to visualize this level is to picture one can of Campbell's soup, which has the equivalent of your entire daily allowance of sodium.

Liming your intake of dietary sodium has an impact on chronic disease prevention. If you are attempting to reduce your sodium intake, try to avoid fast food and commercial prepackaged foods. The best way to monitor your sodium intake is to prepare your own food and be aware of your ‘one teaspoon rule.’ You can be in control of your intake by monitoring the amount of table salt you add into meals and using more salt-free herbs and spices. Currently, recommended low sodium diet plans include the Mediterranean Diet and the DASH (dietary approaches to stop hypertension) Diet; both of which focus on eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, nuts/seeds, legumes, olive oil, and low fat dairy. Reducing sodium intake is one of the main goals of both of these dietary recommendations. 

Consider a Breakfast with:

  • A fresh orange, oatmeal (long cooking) with raisins, seeds, nuts, and low-fat milk

Consider a Lunch with:

  • A salad with lean meat, poultry or low-fat cheese and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Add a dressing made from olive oil and vinegar. Add a whole grain roll.

Consider a Dinner with: 

  • Whole wheat spaghetti and meat sauce made from lean beef or poultry and fresh or canned low-sodium tomatoes. Add a tossed salad with olive oil. Add a glass of low-fat milk and some fruits without added sugar.

Consider a Snack with: 

  • Low-fat yogurt with berries and a whole grain cereal that has little to no added sugar
  • Plain air popped popcorn
  • Whole grain crackers with low-fat cheese
  • Fresh fruit
  • Sliced carrots and celery with hummus

 

References & Resources

https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/sodium-your-diet 

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/salt-and-sodium/ 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8304641/ 

 

Consuming enough fiber every day provides multiple health benefits throughout the body. Fiber is present in a lot of the nutrient-dense foods we eat. You may have not even realized what role fiber plays in keeping you healthy!

Normally, the body breaks down carbohydrates into sugar that our bodies use for fuel. Fiber is a carbohydrate that our bodies do not use as a source of fuel. Instead, fiber moves throughout the digestive system and supports many of our biological processes!

Fiber plays a key role in:

  • Bowel health and movements
  • Controlling cholesterol and blood sugar levels
  • Maintaining a healthy weight

Consuming enough fiber throughout the day is important to meet our daily needs. Dietary fiber content can be found in grams on the nutrition facts panel of packaged foods such as grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. A quick google search can give you estimates of grams of fiber for foods that do not have nutrition facts panels such as fresh fruits and vegetables.

Daily Fiber recommendations:

  • Men (50 or younger) need 38 grams
  • Men (51 or older) need 30 grams
  • Women (50 or younger) need 25 grams
  • Women (51 or older) need 21 grams

Daily fiber needs can be met through eating a well-balanced diet. Fiber-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. You can obtain the most fiber content from fruit and vegetables when the skin/peel is left on. The skin of fruits and vegetables contains important components that provide fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. There are different ways to prepare your fruits and vegetables if you are someone who doesn’t prefer the skin or peel, such as:

  • Blending the fruit or vegetables
  • Chopping the fruit or vegetables into finer pieces
  • Spiralizing your vegetables
  • Incorporating frozen fruits

There are two different types of fiber that both provide distinct health benefits: Soluble fiber and Insoluble fiber. Eating a well-balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds will provide you with appropriate amounts of both forms of fiber.

Soluble fiber

  • Dissolves in water to create a beneficial gel substance that regulates digestion
  • Controls cholesterol and blood sugar levels
  • Aids in constipation and diarrhea
  • Makes you feel full for longer
  • Helps maintain a healthy gut

Insoluble fiber

  • Does not dissolve in water to add bulk to stools
  • Promotes regular bowel movements
  • Aids in constipation
  • Makes you feel full for longer

Obtaining your daily fiber from a well-balanced diet is the gold standard. Eating fiber-rich foods helps you to feel full for longer. Meals that provide a feeling of fullness are beneficial to individuals looking to obtain their desired healthy weight. Fiber supplements do not provide the same level of fullness which makes them less effective for individuals looking to maintain a healthy weight. 

Staying hydrated is important for overall health but is especially important for fiber as the two work hand-in-hand. If you are hitting your fiber goals for the day and aren’t achieving the results you are looking for, make sure you are not chronically dehydrated. Try to space your water consumption evenly throughout the day and monitor urine color for levels of hydration.

 

An example of a fiber-dense breakfast and snack:

Breakfast: ½ cup cooked Oatmeal (4g fiber), 2 Tablespoons Peanut butter (3g fiber), ½ cup Raspberries (4g fiber)

Total (11g fiber)

Snack: 1 medium Apple (4g fiber), 2 Tablespoons Peanut butter (3g fiber)

Total (7g fiber)

 

Written by: Danielle Baldizzi

Resources

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/whats-the-difference-between-soluble-and-insoluble-fiber/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983#:~:text=Dietary%20fiber%20increases%20the%20weight,Helps%20maintain%20bowel%20health.

https://www.goodrx.com/well-being/diet-nutrition/soluble-vs-insoluble-fiber

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/fiber/

Individuals and families who have been receiving extra SNAP benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency will see a reduction in their monthly benefit amounts starting in March 2023. Due to changes at the federal level, February 2023 will be the last month that emergency allotments are distributed with benefits, so eligible households will revert back to their pre-pandemic benefit amounts. 

The NC Department of Health and Human Services has provided some tools you can use to plan ahead for this change. More information about how much of a reduction to expect, how to check your benefit amounts, and where to find additional resources for food can be found on the NCDHHS website here

Some important community food resources that may help are listed below:

 

Adapted from NC Department of Health and Human Services