School cafeterias take on obesity

Oatmeal instead of cheese fries or pizza is a tough sell anywhere -- especially in a school cafeteria.

In the face of national concern over youth obesity, school cafeterias are under pressure to fight back.

Janice Comfort, Sisters School District nutritionist, said the challenge is finding ways to serve foods that are healthy and still sell.

"Some parents want us to serve hot oatmeal, but we can't get kids to eat it," Comfort said. "Our biggest thing is trying to find healthy foods the kids will eat. There's also the matter of offering versus serving it. We can't make them take it."

The Sisters cafeterias are regulated by national and state nutritional standards for each meal, Comfort said.

Still, that doesn't keep some kids from choosing cheese fries and pizza whenever they are offered.

Comfort said the cafeterias offered pizza every day several years ago, but now it is offered three times a week.

A salad bar is available every day.

Comfort said a challenge for the high school is competing with off-campus restaurants. Many local restaurants offer healthy choices, such as deli sandwiches, soups and salads. Comfort said about half of the students leave campus for lunch.

Jake Merrell, a high school senior, said he never eats in the school cafeteria because it's expensive and he wants to get away from school whenever possible. He says greasy and fatty foods are easy options at the school cafeteria and local restaurants.

With a careful mother and home-cooked family dinners almost every evening, Merrell said his healthy meals are breakfast and dinner.

"Sometimes I eat lunch at Martolli's Pizza or at Ray's because you can get a whole meal for $2, but that's fatty too," Merrell said. "My mom tries to have salad and fruits and tries to actually cook stuff instead of putting it in the microwave."

For the Sisters School District to be reimbursed for a meal ($2.20), national and state regulations require the student to purchase a minimum of three items among the proteins, bread and grains, milk and/or fruit, Comfort said.

The school district is required to offer a minimum of one-third of the daily recommended dietary allowance of calories, proteins, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C, Comfort said. Total fat for a three-course meal cannot exceed more than 30 percent of the total calories.

Comfort said it is easier to regulate the elementary students' eating habits than it is to regulate those at the other schools.

"The middle school students want something they can eat without a fork and knife," Comfort said. "They want something they can eat while walking around with friends; the elementary school students are more open to eating and trying everything."

"Cafeteria food" can't be pinned down as the sole culprit in youth obesity. If kids are eating poorly at school, chances are they are eating poorly at home.

"Most kids are not eating that healthy at home and school meals or hospital meals always tend to get the bad rap," Comfort said. "There will always be students who come in and get a piece of pizza every day."

And there's more to the problem than diet alone.

"Today the kids are sitting behind the TV and playing Nintendo games instead of getting up and doing something," Comfort said.

Educating families can be the most effective tool in combating the temptations of greasy food and easy entertainment, said Nancy Dempsey, the nurse at the elementary school.

Dempsey said teachers at the elementary school educate the children on options for nutritious snacks and how to read the labels on food packages. She said they also walk them through the lunch room to point out healthy choices among the salad bar and other entrees.

Parent/teacher conferences are set up for families with obese children, Dempsey said.