HEALTHY LUNCH: Act Promotes School Changes

Friday morning Gov. Terry Branstad and Congressman Tom Latham teamed up to promote healthy lunches in schools. 

The two spoke at an event at Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines. They discussed how Latham’s No-Cost School Food Modernization Act will help Iowa’s schools upgrade their meal programs. 

This year the USDA updated school nutrition standards but many schools lack the resources to make improvements. 

The act would help schools improve in two ways. One would authorize a USDA competitive grant program for schools to get technical assistance for employees. The second part helps schools purchase major equipment to make improvements in the kitchen.

“Help update tools available in our school lunchrooms and to help keep our kids fit and learning,” says Congressman Latham.

Latham and Blank Hospital officials say making sure kids are healthy and stay out of the hospital begins in schools, because that’s where kids eat nearly half of their meals.