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Miss. (WDAM) – With the new school year right around the corner, local districts are working hard to ensure that students will have access to meals that are delicious and nutritious
Julianne King is the child nutrition director for Lamar County Schools
King said the district has been planning menus for months, following requirements set by the United States Department of Agriculture’s school lunch and breakfast programs
“We try really hard to, you know, stay away from convenience food items and purchase as many whole food ingredients as we can and produce menus that are based on whole foods,” said King
King said the majority of the food the district receives comes through Sysco food distribution, but they also
A new study from researchers at the University of Mississippi and University of Southern Mississippi found that slight reductions in salt and sugar can help lower blood pressure and train your taste buds to enjoy less-processed foods
King said this is why she’s intentional about what goes out on each tray
“The cereal that we purchase are lower sugar cereal,” said King. “The yogurts that we purchase are lower sugar. All of those products help us meet the requirements of the meal patterns while also being something that’s palatable for the children.”
As the cyclosporiasis outbreak continues across the nation, many school districts are taking preventive steps to protect students
King said LCS is always in contact with vendors about potential recalls
“If there were to be something in their products, they would inform us, we would pull that immediately out of the kitchens and replace it as soon as it’s safe to do so,” said King
With so many students in the district relying on free lunch, around 50% according to state data, King said important to ensure they’re consuming only the best foods
“Lots of our students come to school, and that’s the most nutritious meal they get, whether it’s breakfast, lunch or both,” said King
Lamar County students return to school on Thursday, July 30
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