School meal service more than fast food favorites

  • Published
  • By Capt. Megan A. Schafer
  • 435th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  While steamy globs of mystery mush served with an ice cream scooper might be your recollection of school lunch when you were little, today's military children are eating high on the hog. Believe it or not, the same company that provides military members that fast food fix on base is the same organization feeding thousands of military children every day.

Rest assured -- your children are not eating gargantuan slices of pizza or cinnamon buns slathered in icing. In fact, what they're eating is healthier than what you're downing daily at the food court.

In addition to providing military members with shopping and entertainment facilities, since 1980, Army and Air Force Exchange Service has been providing school lunch to students K through 12th grades on Army and Air Force installations overseas. Today -- that translates to 92 schools across nine countries, 24,000 pattern meals each day, for a total of more than 4.4 million meals each school year.

"Our goal is to not only provide children with a meal that is healthy and satisfying, but also to provide parents the best nutritional value for their money," said Mike Sitrin, KMC Consolidate Exchange Food Business Manager.

To do that, the AAFES school meal program adheres to the U.S. Department of Agriculture standards -- the same regulations and guidelines as U.S. schools. Specifically, they analyze each meal to ensure it includes the right amount of calories and has a variety of nutrients - protein, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C and iron. Additionally, meals must be 30 percent or less total fat and less than 10 percent saturated fat when averaged over a week.

"We discontinued frying foods starting in the 2007 school year and only serve baked food items," Mr. Sitrin said. "We do not serve soda or caffeinated beverages, and we reduced the 'snack items' in the USDA patterned meals and serve low-fat milk. We also only serve 100 percent juice in elementary schools and at least 50 perfect juice beverages in secondary schools," he said, adding that another major factor in making the meals healthy is in portion size.

Portion control is a huge factor, particularly in our supersized-society. What may look like skimpy portions are actually more realistic servings for each particular age group.

According to the USDA, for children grades K through 6, that means a minimum of eight ounces of milk, two ounces of meat, two or more servings of fruit or vegetables (3/4 cup each), and one serving of bread or grains. As children progress, the portion sizes then, naturally, grow.

While it may seem relatively cut and dry, there are options for the menu.

"We work off of the 'offer versus serve' concept," Mr. Sitrin said. "That means that students are not required to accept food they do not intend to consume. As long as they take three of the five meal components - meat/meat alternative, fruit, vegetable, grains and milk - it constitutes as a meal."

To aid in this process, more options have been added in recent years - like more entree choices, wraps, salads, yogurt, whole wheat and whole grain breads, fresh fruits and vegetables, and side salads.

"While we can't control everything our children eat, we hope that through this program we can guarantee they are getting at least one healthy meal each day," Mr. Sitrin said.

In addition to the research and science behind it all, feedback from the consumer is welcome to ensure AAFES has the ability to satisfy taste buds as well. One subject of continual debate - vegetables. While AAFES can easily argue and win the nutritional side, they struggle with the limited range of food choices for little ones.

"We struggle with finding options that most children will consume, but more simply, will enjoy," he said. "Name me five veggies that every child will eat... it's difficult."

Attempting to crack that code, AAFES has a rigorous survey program that is offered through the schools and on their Web site, where they encourage not only students, but also parents to answer questions and offer feedback.

"I am pleased with the AAFES school menus because they offer a variety of choices and healthy alternatives to the children," said Mareilaure Warren, whose four children attend Vogelweh Elementary School. "I also like that they offer foods from different cultures that the children might otherwise not be exposed to at home."

Parents are also offered the opportunity to enjoy meals with their children to see for themselves exactly what they're getting. A little more money to account for bigger portions and a non-subsidized meal, and you too can enjoy a chicken corn dog, side salad, peaches, Jell-O and milk... or maybe BBQ riblets ... and this time make it one percent chocolate milk.

For more information about the School Meal Program, check out the Web site at http://odin.aafes.com/nutrition/08/index.html