The public school meals system in the U.S. is complicated, and overseen by the federal government. I commend the Smith College students for trying to understand it and writing their article, “Fare Questions: Local school meals face healthy criticism,” published in the Gazette on March 15. But in an age of rampant misinformation, I want to provide our community with the most accurate information. Unfortunately, some facts were misrepresented and blame was misdirected. The Freshampton School Meals team works tirelessly to improve the school meals program, and we should be working together, as a community, for change.

I’m the Farm to School Coordinator for the Northampton Public Schools Freshampton School Meals program, but your kids probably know me as the “Taste Test Guy.” I visit elementary schools monthly, offering food samples to students (sweet potato hummus, tomato salsa, kale caesar salad — made fresh in our school kitchens, using produce from local farms and school gardens!). Student voice and choice is important to us. So they vote at taste tests, and if well-received, we add it to the menu. For example, we’ve increased our vegetarian options substantially, including a new salad bar at NHS.

Leading our team is our School Nutrition Director, Mistelle Hannah, who has a master’s degree in public health and is both a registered dietitian and a licensed dietitian/nutritionist. Prior to Mistelle joining NPS in 2018, less than 1% of the food in Northampton schools was fresh and local. Now, that number is 30%. And while that’s progress, we’re not stopping there.

While serving fresh food to students is critical, so is teaching them about healthy relationships with food — enjoying meal time, trying new foods, growing, cooking, etc. Our goal is to find that balance. Do we serve pizza? Yes, but it’s whole grain and low sodium (with a gluten and dairy-free option), served once a week, and accompanied by fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition to the taste tests, we run school garden and winter cooking programs, and organize field trips to Grow Food Northampton’s Community Farm.

So, what are the barriers?

First, the funding. Nationwide, public school nutrition departments operate without any school district funds. Our budget is funded entirely by the federal reimbursable rate of approx $4.57 per meal, and that doesn’t go far, so we apply for grants. But, most grants prohibit school meals as actual line items, so we work creatively (taste tests, cooking programs, etc.). One exception, the Northeast Food for Schools grant, did allow us to purchase nearly $20,000 of local lettuce, apples and other fresh items for meals last year. Unfortunately, this program has been slashed as part of the recent federal USDA cuts.

Second, the federal requirements. Public school meals must align with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans — lunch must include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, meat/meat alternatives, and low-fat dairy, while limiting sodium and added sugars. But, requirements mean limited flexibility. For example, we’re required to offer fat-free or 1% dairy milk to students at lunch. Chocolate milk is an option because it increases the odds of students drinking milk at all, and therefore benefiting from the calcium, protein, vitamin D, and potassium.

If a district was not meeting those requirements or “barely scraping by,” as the article said we were, this would be public knowledge, accompanied by repercussions from mandated reviews.

Third, misunderstanding of school food labels. The March 15 article stated, “a student electing to get chocolate milk with lunch would drink 22 grams of total sugar,” which is misleading. An 8-ounce Hood Fat Free chocolate milk contains 10 grams of added sugar and 22 grams of carbohydrates. But added sugars and total sugars are different, and milk contains lactose, a naturally-occurring sugar (not an added one). We spend a lot of time reviewing labels and pushing our distributors for healthier options. In fact, school milk manufacturers are working to decrease the quantity of added sugar to flavored milk for next year!

A lot of fantastic work has been done, in spite of the barriers, and there’s much more to do. I again want to thank the Smith College students for trying to learn about this topic, but I would encourage them, and other critics, to collaborate with us and join the fight for solutions.

And just to be clear, contrary to the March 15 article, sodium limits have not been scrapped, and fryolators were banned in school nutrition programs 21 years ago. The Northampton school nutrition department serves zero fried food.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @eatfreshampton for more information.

Bryan Jersky is the Farm to School Coordinator for the Northampton Public Schools Freshampton School Meals program.