By Scott Brinton
Two years ago, West Babylon reworked its lunch menu to include a long list of healthy alternatives to the school's traditional, artery-busting offerings, selling salads and baked french fries as alternatives to fat-soaked hamburgers and Tater Tots.
Here's the thing, Central District officials say: Bellmore-Merrick did the same, and more, to increase the nutritional value of its lunch menu -- before West Babylon.
Health magazine editors asked officials at each of the nation's 50 state education departments to nominate one healthy school for its list of the top 10 healthiest. The New York State Department of Education did not take part in the survey, so the Harlem-based Alliance for a Healthier Generation did the nominating.
Nancy Muth, Bellmore-Merrick's director of cafeteria services, co-chairs the Central District's Wellness Committee, which is charged with developing nutritionally sound lunch menus. Muth said that one of the district's biggest lunch items is the fresh fruit salad, which includes watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, pineapple and red and green grapes. Cost: $1.25 for a small, $1.50 for a large.
The district offers a large green salad with a whole-wheat breadstick for $1.50. A 4-ounce wrap with chicken, low-sodium ham or low-sodium roast beef, with 1 percent milk and a piece of fruit, runs $2.95.
At the same time, Muth said, the district has traditional offerings like tacos, chili and sloppy joes, but all are made with low-fat beef, and all come with fresh fruit instead of canned. The district also uses only olive oil in its cooking.
Saul Lerner, co-chairman of the district's Wellness Committee, said, "When we implemented these changes, people said the kids wouldn't eat." But Muth said that participation in the lunch program has increased markedly in the past three years.
The reason, Lerner said: "We haven't sacrificed taste or price to increase the quality of the food."
The district has also changed the offerings in its vending machines. All the foods are baked, all-natural products, with no artificial coloring or preservatives, and there is no high-fructose corn syrup in the drinks (except in Gatorade, which the district continues to offer).
"As educators," Lerner said, "we're role models in teaching kids good eating habits."
Comments about this story? SBrinton@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 203.
