The new federal law governing school nutrition means smaller slices of pizza and possibly higher prices for students in the Central Bucks School District.
To comply with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, pizza slices are now 2 inches smaller, said Alicia Kent, senior director at Aramark, which provides food service to the districts schools.
Aramark officials reviewed the new law and its impact during a school board meeting on Monday evening.
The 14-inch pizza slices are necessary, Kent said, to comply with the maximum calorie and grain restrictions in the new law, which went into effect this year and will be fully phased in over three years.
In addition, she said, if a student fails to select a fruit or vegetable as part of his or her meal, the cost will be higher than a student who does make that part of the meal. Thus, a student selecting a slice of pizza and milk will pay more than a student purchasing pizza, an apple and milk.
If they dont take a fruit or vegetable they are charged a la cart pricing, Kent said. Theres a little bit of sticker shock when they are coming through the line and learning what the new requirements are.
There may be a monetary impact on the district as well, she said, noting that the district will not receive reimbursement for student meals that do not meet the new U.S. Department of Agriculture requirements.
These are really significant changes of what the students are allowed to eat, she said.
Among the changes required are the use of only fat-free flavored milk, decreased sodium levels and at least half the grains offered must be whole grain. It also requires different nutrient levels for different age groups.
The new rules will be challenging for students, she said, and require education of students and parents.
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School nutrition law takes bite out of portion sizes