MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Students who rely on buying lunch from their school cafeteria will notice a change in the food choices they have, due to a 2010 USDA law called the Healthier, Hunger Free Kids Act.

“This act really brought the school meals program into line with the national dietary guidelines for Smericans,” said Diane Golzynski, Assistant Director of the Office of School Support Services with the Michigan Department of Education. “It really updated some of the requirements for school meals programs, which needed to happen.”

With the new update, titled the Smart School Snacks Regulation, these policies will now affect more than just the lunchroom.

“The Smart Snacks component of the act really brought into line all the food sold to students on the campus during the school day,” said Golzynski.

Arriving at school in the morning, all the way until 30 minutes after the final bell rings, food sold on school grounds must meet the nutrition standards outlined in this law.

In order to check out at the register, the cashier must make sure that students have half cup of fruit or vegetable on their tray. With the new update that just came out this summer, students now must resort to low sugar rather than sugar filled soft drinks, and baked rather than fried potato chips.

With more restrictions being put on lunch menus, many schools are experiencing less participation in the meal programs.

“Overall, our numbers are decreasing with the change in the meal patterns, but we believe that that is something that will turn around as folks start to really accept the changes,” assured Golzynski.

The act has experienced gradual, yearly updates intended to bring change to nutrition overtime.

“The Healthier Hunger Free Kids Act is incredibly comprehensive, it will take a long time to implement, but I do believe that in the end everyone is going to be happy with the changes that have occurred as a result from this,” Golzynski said. “As long as we can take our time and work through the changes together, this will all be for the benefit of kids.”

You can find more information on the USDA Healtheir, Hunger Free Kids Act and it's recent updates on the Haslett and Okemos School District websites.