The national event is designed to help raise awareness and garner support for the role

that school food service and nutrition programs

play in the daily lives of America's children. The American School Food Service

Association's 60,000 members are responsible for

providing high quality, low-cost breakfast and lunch

meals to the majority of the nation's public and

nonprofit elementary, middle and secondary schools.

"School meal programs have always been a great value for students in terms of the

overall cost and nutrition they provide," said food

service director Cheryl Calhoun. "And today's

programs are offering even more to students, catering

to their tastes and other senses with inventive

new food items and innovative atmospheres. They make eating healthy and fun. The goal of

school meal programs is to provide students with

nutritious foods that will enhance learning. We're really feeding their bodies and their minds."

Today's school lunch is designed to meet stringent national nutritional standards.

These nutritional guidelines require that school

breakfasts and lunches provide one-third to

one-fourth of the Recommended Dietary Allowances, respectively, for calories, protein, vitamins A

and C, iron and calcium.

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