Healthier Meals Result in Lower School Lunch Sales at Pine-Richland

New school meal regulations have resulted in fewer reimbursable lunches being sold than expected this school year in the Pine-Richland School District.

A representative of Sodexo, the district's food service, recently notified the school board that about 11 percent fewer lunches have been sold after implementing changes that were part of the federal Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review.

In fact, Cherry Cerminara, general manager of Sodexo food services for Pine-Richland, told the school board that many districts have lost meal counts over the federal statute.

Improving child nutrition is the focal point of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, which includes guidelines that ensure kids are offered both fruits and vegetables each day, more whole grains, and portion sizes.

Pine-Richland school board voted unanimously at the April 22 meeting to approve a new contract with Sodexo that guarantees to return $2,256 to the school district for the next school year. The new contract also maintains current prices for breakfast and lunch at all schools in the district.

The Trib reports that Sodexo expects meals to return to previously seen participation levels as children become more accustomed to the change.

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