At Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools (PLSAS), learning doesn't stop when students enter the lunch line. The food services program is helping students make healthy choices that are good for kids and the environment.
With childhood obesity rates soaring, choosing healthy meal options is becoming more important than ever before. That is just one reason PLSAS is launching a new initiative to offer healthier foods that are lower in fat, salt and sugar while serving meals kids love to eat.
The following are some ways PLSAS is beginning to change the way they offer school lunch to students:
* In all six of the district's elementary schools, the a la carte options including fruit roll-ups, baked chips, flavored water and more are no longer being offered.
* Schools, K-12, are no longer offering 2% milk. The three choices available are skim white milk, 1% white milk, and skim chocolate milk.
* All schools are embracing the Farm to Table philosophy of supporting locally based agriculture through purchasing apples from AppleWood Orchard in Lakeville, watermelon from Prior Lake and rice blends from Indian Harvest in Bemidji.
* Grainwood and Redtail Ridge Elementary have implemented a Birthday Book Club to replace student birthday treats. Instead of students bringing treats to school, they now have the option of purchasing a "birthday book" for the media center with the child's name featured in the front of the book.
*Grainwood is a host school for a Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) Grant and will be working this fall and winter to develop a sustainable healthy breakfast or snack option for students during the school day.
"These are just a few initial steps we are taking to get students to think before they select a food option and strike a healthy balance in their food choices," says Director of Food Services, Jean Winters.
PLSAS is also working to reduce its impact on the environment. All schools have switched from using Styrofoam trays when dish machines are down to a totally compostable tray. PLHS is also using eco-friendly cleaning agents in its kitchens from Minnesota-based company, Sunburst Chemicals.
These are some of the ways PLSAS is working to improve healthy choices and educate students throughout the district.
