School Lunches Are Healthier, But Kids Throw A Lot Away, CDC

Over the decades, information shows the Center for Disease Control (CDC) that school lunches in America have gotten healthier, according to MSN.

The CDC's Caitlin Merlo and colleagues examined the surveys at schools in 2000, 2006 and 2014, trying to examine whether the new U.S. Department of Agriculture policies were influencing the menu in the school cafetarias.

"The standards require serving more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and gradually reducing sodium content over 10 years," they wrote.

Interestingly, the report shows that school lunches d adhere to the guideline. They now include more "fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, whole grains and less sodium. More than 60 percent of school districts use either alternative seasoning or low sodium recipes, according to Clevand.com.

Estimates say that U.S. school children get at least half the regular calories from school food. Hence, improved lunches could support improvement in health-related illnesses, such as obesity.

However, worryingly, most of school lunches remain uneaten, according to the report.

Scientists explain that most children are throwing away almost half a cup of fruits and vegetables at every meal, says the University of Vermont, according to NBC News.

It is important that school lunches should be made attractive to the youth, said researcher Sarah Amin, according to hngn.

"We did find one strategy that did encourage selection was pre-portioned fruits and vegetables. Think of a package of baby carrots or a fruit cup. It may be beneficial to have it in a ready-to-eat way," said Amin.