SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) -
The U.S. Ag Department says students will be eating healthier this year. They've put in place a new set of nutritional requirements for school meals. One of them, a calorie cap.
For lunch, kids in kindergarten through 5th grade are required to have between 550 to 650 calories. Middle schoolers, 600 to 700 calories. And high schoolers, 750 to 850 calories.
Supporters call it a more nutritious meal plan. But, critics say it's causing kids to go hungry.
Here in Sioux City, school officials say 6th through 12th graders are taking a cut of around 200 calories for lunch.
To make it work, the district is trying to keep entree portions the same, but cut back on condiments, like ranch and ketchup.
"All of that has to be portioned now and restricted, if you will," said Food Service Director for Sioux City Community Schools, Rich Luze.
The calorie cut has got some critics. Kids...
"I'm very hungry. I always want to stop at vending machines," said one East High School student.
…and politicians like Congresswoman Kristi Noem of South Dakota. In a concerned letter, she told U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack parents and school officials are complaining: "Kids are not getting enough to eat in order to learn and stay energized throughout the school day."
USDA officials counter those calorie comments, saying the meal plans are based on scientific study, and designed for the average student. They say with 1/3 of U.S. children overweight, the time to act is now.
"If we don't take some steps to do something, we're going to see the first generation of children that don't out live their parents," said USDA Deputy Under Secretary Dr. Janey Thornton.
Sioux City school officials say they could choose to not follow the USDA requirements, but that would mean a loss of federal funding. Luze says no funding would mean school lunches would cost more, jumping from about $2.65 a day, to $5 or $6.
