Nutritional Value of School Meals is on the Rise

Recognizing that governmental mandates are often necessary to improve the nutritional value of school meals, the Honeoye Falls – Lima School District began its efforts prior to the discussion of mandates in order to improve the wellness factor in the foods it serves to students and staff.  To date, the Food Service Department has made some noteworthy efforts to improve the nutritional value of school meals.

• Absolutely no fried foods are served to our students.  Frying has been replaced by baking.  Even items that are traditionally fried, like french fries and chicken patties, are baked instead in our schools.
• Soda has been eliminated from our vending machines.  In the past, soda was sold in vending machines only after school hours.  Today, vending machines used by students have no soda in them.  Soda has been replaced with healthier beverages, such as juices and bottled water.
• Vending machines make healthy snacks available to students.  Healthy vending machines are available to students at the Middle School and High School.  These machines carry only healthy snacks, like granola bars and yogurt.
• We grow many of our own vegetables!  Students and staff at Lima Primary School have their very own garden, where they grow a plethora of vegetables, and even edible flowers!  The vegetables are served to students as side dishes and are also incorporated into school meals, such as soups and salads.
• Whole grains are a hit.  Whole grains are becoming a unique part of some of our students’ traditionally favorite dishes.  Whole grain pizza, whole grain wraps and grilled cheese on whole wheat bread are especially noted by our students!
• Trans-fats are becoming a thing of the past.  We have significantly reduced trans-fats in our school foods and our food options are currently 98% trans-fat free.  We are working toward a goal of total elimination of all trans-fats in school meals.

The Food Service Department will continue its efforts to provide increasingly healthy and nutritious meals in our schools by continuing to reduce trans-fats, increasing the use of whole grain products and using Lima Primary School’s homegrown vegetables in school meals. 

The District encourages anyone with particular interest in the topic of wellness to join the District Wellness Committee or Building Wellness Committees.  These committees focus on physical and emotional health opportunities in our schools, and promote various wellness events for staff, students and community members.  A Food Service Advisory Committee is also being formed to encourage input from parents, students and community on additional ways that we can continue to address nutritional improvements. Please contact Lance Seeber, Director of Food Services, at 624-7040 or lance_seeber@hflcsd.org if you are interested in participating in either the Wellness or Food Service Advisory Committees.