Commissioner Miller Kicks off National School Lunch Week (10/10/2016)

Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller today announced the start of National School Lunch Week, which takes place Oct. 10 to 14, and encourages young Texans to eat healthy meals at school. Every school day, approximately 3 million young Texans participate in the National School Lunch Program, which is administered in Texas by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). All week, schools across the Lone Star State will use the theme Vote for a Winning Lunch to showcase the importance of eating nutritious meals in the school cafeteria.

“When students have a voice in school nutrition, they can lead the way to healthier lifestyles for all Texans,” Commissioner Miller said. “This week, I am asking young Texans to join us in supporting school nutrition in Texas and vote for a winning school lunch. We need your help to let kids know that nutritious, locally-grown food can be healthy and delicious. Our goal is healthy kids instead of healthy trash cans!”

Students began showing their support for National School Lunch Week 2016 in March, when TDA announced the call for entries in the You Art What You Eat statewide student art contest. The winning students’ artwork inspired the graphics used on posters, flyers, social media ads and other materials TDA developed for schools to promote school lunches during National School Lunch Week.

TDA also provided schools with National School Lunch Week menus featuring recipes using Texas agricultural products, as well as themed ballots and ballot boxes for students and their families to use to cast their vote for the best school lunch. All these materials support school nutrition teams and their work to increase student awareness of the nutritious and appealing meals served in the Texas lunchrooms.  

In addition to preparing millions of meals that meet strict federal standards, Texas school nutrition professionals also work to teach children about healthy lifestyle choices. By participating in National School Lunch Week and other initiatives such as TDA’s Farm Fresh Fridays and the Local Products Challenge, schools can ensure students receive nutritious meals and understand the importance behind good nutrition.

To learn more about National School Lunch Week and TDA’s healthy living initiatives, visit SquareMeals.org.

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