History of Nutrition in American Schools: A brief overview
Throughout the late 1800's and 1900's, American public educational institutions have made great strides in providing nutritionally sound meals at a low cost for students. This started in the mid 1890's in Boston, and is still an ongoing process in today's society. The question still remains: How much government funding can be afforded/ is necessary in regards to providing essential nutrients to students in public schools?
1894. Boston.
In the mid 1890's, nutritionally sound meals were provided to students in public schools in Boston, especially for those students who normally would not have been able to afford this type of meal. The program, which was run as a private enterprise named The New England Kitchen, was "praised" in it's ability to provide nutritionally sound meals, and it served as a model for other cities in the United States.
1900. America's Larger Cities.
At this point in America's history, students were able to receive free-and-reduced lunches which were funded by the school they attended. By this time, meals were planned by nutrition scientists, and engineered to deliver the proper nutrients to encourage cognitive development in a healthy manner.These programs were originally modeled off of similar programs that had been in place in the United Kingdom.
1900-1930.
During this thirty year period, over 600,000 meals per year were served for only a penny a meal. This period served as a huge start for the eventual reform which would come to the public schooling meals, and the nutrition in which they contained. Also, the "Americanization" of the diet occurred for the first time during this period, which began by exposing immigrant students to foods that were extremely different to what they had been accustomed to.
1930-1940. The Great Depression
Public funding for public schools and their lunch programs shoots up during this time period, due to the high, and ever-growing, amount of people who qualify for the free and reduced lunch programs. So, during this time, the US Government expanded it's role in public funding, especially in regards to the school lunch programs during the Great Depression. Students received fresh food supplemented with local contributions, with the intent of boosting the local economy, eliminating surplus of goods, and feeding students fresh foods.
1940's and 1950's. The Introduction of the Vending Machine.
At this point, the US Government, and the United States Department of Agriculture clear up the common misconception that students must have a hot meal for their noon meal, or lunch. At this point, a little more than an eighth of students are provided with proper lunch meals under the National School Lunch programs, high schools introduced their concession-owned cafeterias, and about 167,000 will buy milk under the program. Also, vending machines are introduced to public schools during this time period, bringing up an interesting dynamic in nutrition in schools as vending machines are usually full of snack-type foods.
1960's-1980's.
During this next time period, students will see an even higher increase in government funding to school lunches, especially in America's larger cities like New York City, New York. For example, during the 60's, 70's, and 80', the average amount of meals prepared daily for high schools was just around 136,000 lunches per day, as well as 73,000 for junior high schools, and a whopping 80,000 lunches for elementary students.
1990's - Present.
As public school lunches reach the more current time period, schools have historically provided more local support for fresh produce, as well as making a strong effort to push vegetables into student's diets, which had become a problem for this period of time. The video below, as linked, is a video about school lunch changes in a local school, which reflects many of the changes made nationally in this area. Hamburgers are made with more organic meats, fried with less fatty acids, and made to be an overall smaller size, which in turn helps create a more nutrient based meal for students. The federal government realized that if it was to fund lunches, a well-balanced diet should be the meal that is pushed onto students.
1900. America's Larger Cities.
At this point in America's history, students were able to receive free-and-reduced lunches which were funded by the school they attended. By this time, meals were planned by nutrition scientists, and engineered to deliver the proper nutrients to encourage cognitive development in a healthy manner.These programs were originally modeled off of similar programs that had been in place in the United Kingdom.
1900-1930.
During this thirty year period, over 600,000 meals per year were served for only a penny a meal. This period served as a huge start for the eventual reform which would come to the public schooling meals, and the nutrition in which they contained. Also, the "Americanization" of the diet occurred for the first time during this period, which began by exposing immigrant students to foods that were extremely different to what they had been accustomed to.
1930-1940. The Great Depression
Public funding for public schools and their lunch programs shoots up during this time period, due to the high, and ever-growing, amount of people who qualify for the free and reduced lunch programs. So, during this time, the US Government expanded it's role in public funding, especially in regards to the school lunch programs during the Great Depression. Students received fresh food supplemented with local contributions, with the intent of boosting the local economy, eliminating surplus of goods, and feeding students fresh foods.
1940's and 1950's. The Introduction of the Vending Machine.
At this point, the US Government, and the United States Department of Agriculture clear up the common misconception that students must have a hot meal for their noon meal, or lunch. At this point, a little more than an eighth of students are provided with proper lunch meals under the National School Lunch programs, high schools introduced their concession-owned cafeterias, and about 167,000 will buy milk under the program. Also, vending machines are introduced to public schools during this time period, bringing up an interesting dynamic in nutrition in schools as vending machines are usually full of snack-type foods.
1960's-1980's.
During this next time period, students will see an even higher increase in government funding to school lunches, especially in America's larger cities like New York City, New York. For example, during the 60's, 70's, and 80', the average amount of meals prepared daily for high schools was just around 136,000 lunches per day, as well as 73,000 for junior high schools, and a whopping 80,000 lunches for elementary students.
1990's - Present.
As public school lunches reach the more current time period, schools have historically provided more local support for fresh produce, as well as making a strong effort to push vegetables into student's diets, which had become a problem for this period of time. The video below, as linked, is a video about school lunch changes in a local school, which reflects many of the changes made nationally in this area. Hamburgers are made with more organic meats, fried with less fatty acids, and made to be an overall smaller size, which in turn helps create a more nutrient based meal for students. The federal government realized that if it was to fund lunches, a well-balanced diet should be the meal that is pushed onto students.