To recognize the National School Lunch Program and the 30 million children it serves every day, Houston ISD schools is celebrating National School Lunch Week from Oct. 13-17 under the theme: “Get in the Game with School Lunch.” The week will feature events and activities at 30 elementary schools promoting the importance of balancing healthy eating with physical activity and exercise.

National School Lunch Week will emphasize the healthy foods that are offered daily in the district’s 283 schools. Among the healthy options on the lunch menu’s starting lineup are, “World Cup Cucumber Slices,” “Dunkin’ Diced Peaches,” and “Champion Chicken Quesadilla.” HISD Nutrition Services dietitians will also be on site to discuss the importance of eating healthfully just like athletes do in order fuel their active lifestyles.

Media Opportunities:

• Garden Oaks Elementary, 901 Sue Barnett, Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 1 p.m.
• Peck Elementary, 5001 Martin Luther King Blvd., Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 10:30 a.m.

“National School Lunch week gives us a fun opportunity to tell parents and the community that school meals are healthy and provide students with the nutrition they need to grow and to learn,” said Nan Cramer, community outreach dietitian for HISD Nutrition Services.  “Good nutrition is critical for students’ academic success.”

The federally-funded National School Lunch Program provides nutritionally balanced, healthy meals to students every day. The program, which has been serving the nation’s children for more than 60 years, requires school meals to meet federal nutrition standards such as offering fruits and vegetables every day, serving whole-grain rich foods, limiting saturated fat, and requiring age-appropriate ranges for calories and sodium.

The “Get in the Game with School Lunch” campaign is sponsored by the nonprofit School Nutrition Association and Chobani Greek Yogurt. For more information about HISD’s school meals, visit http://www.HoustonISD.org/NutritionServices