Student Nutrition
Student Nutrition program
Welcome back to school.
All meals are provided at no cost to enrolled students.
Questa Independent Schools District provides nutritionally balanced breakfasts and lunches at no cost to enrolled students each school day. All breakfasts and lunches must meet nutrient standards based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), a critical tool to help Americans make healthy choices in their daily lives. The DGAs focus is to prevent disease; they provide advice on what to eat and drink to meet nutrient needs, promote health, and prevent and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, strokes, osteoporosis, depression etc.
Healthy school meals help to encourage and support healthy choices at home. School meals include low fat proteins, a variety of fruits and vegetables, low fat or fat free milk, and whole grain items which provide students with needed nutrients to ensure they are ready to learn. Students are encouraged to choose all food items; however, they can refuse some food components under a provision “Offer Vs Serve”, OVS. The goals of OVS are to reduce food waste in the school meals programs while permitting students to decline foods they do not intend to eat.
Well-nourished students have higher test scores, increased school attendance, improved concentration, and improved classroom behavior. Students, who are well nourished and physically fit, sleep better and are better able to handle the physical and emotional challenges that they encounter during the day. Students are encouraged to get active for at least 60 minutes, five times a week.