Schools wrapped up celebrating National School Lunch Week by highlighting workers and programs that provide food to millions of students every day.
Stacy Koppen, nutrition director for St. Paul Public Schools, said their workers provide lunches for 22,000 students every day across the city. She says the meals and options they provide are healthier than they’ve ever been.
“We’re really working with requirements on sodium levels and whole grains as well as fresh fruits and vegetables that really do create the framework for some very healthy meals for all of our students.”
The challenges of the past few years—global pandemic, schools shut down, worker shortages, food supply chain issues—have all caused issues with how the district can best offer what it can. The other challenge is the U.S. Department of Agriculture no longer subsidizing school meals for all students, as it did for two years in the pandemic. Koppen said that means some families are put in a tight spot.
“It does mean some families will be choosing between paying for their child’s school lunch and/or possibly paying for something like medical care or prescriptions, or their electric bill,” she said.
The district, like most others, does offer programs to help families with financial needs.
“We know that two out of three families may be dealing with a situation where they may not always have access to food, and we have heard from students who say this may be the only place where they get meals sometimes.”
Koppen said St. Paul schools serve 22,000 school lunches every day.
“Those of us who work in the program—our whole heart is in it,” she said. “It may not be the most glamorous job, but it is definitely a job that brings out the most passionate side of our hearts and also our creativity.”
