Dear Parents:
Welcome to the 2016-2017 school year! The Diocese of Baton Rouge Child Nutrition Program staff is looking forward to serving your children nutritious, great-tasting meals that support their achievements in school and promote healthy lifestyles. Healthy for Life is our commitment to create healthier environments and communities, by providing comprehensive nutrition and wellness education. This year we will continue to expand the program with more freshly prepared meals to better serve our students and their families; and this year as part of this expansion, we have updated the program design to better reflect the sophisticated tastes of today's students.
For your students, we offer a variety of meal choices with one goal in mind: to provide outstanding service and high quality "child-friendly" meals that meet or exceed the latest federal and state requirements. Our School menus are designed to ensure that students receive a balanced meal, consisting of foods from all major food groups in the right proportions to meet calorie and other nutrient needs. The products and the cooking methods we use conserve food quality and nutrients, while limiting the addition of fats. So although you may see popular items like pizza and chicken smackers on our menus, be assured that your child's school meal selections contain healthy grains and are lower in fat and salt than what you find in grocery stores or restaurants. We will also be offering some different foods that your child may not have tried before: Asian chicken, Fresh Fried Louisiana Catfish, Lasagna, Roasted Chicken, and Gumbo, just to name a few; so please encourage your child to taste these items. They just might become a new favorite! Also, we invite you to have lunch with your child so you can try these tasty new menu items too.
- Many of the bread and grain products served for breakfast and lunch will be freshly made, ensuring plenty of fiber and other essential nutrients. Added trans fats have been eliminated from all foods; and menus are planned to limit sodium to meet the new standards set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for school meals.
- The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) will continue to have age-appropriate calorie limits; offer more servings of fruits and plenty of vegetables, with a focus on nutrient-dense dark green, red/orange and legume vegetable selections; and offer a wide variety of grain and protein items.
- The National School Breakfast Program (NSBP) will also have age-appropriate calorie limits for 3 grade groups (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12). Schools must now offer even more fruit and/or vegetables every day, and students will have to take at least ½ cup of fruit with each breakfast meal.
In addition, we are Involved in a Farm to School Program, with locally grown foods. We are reaching out to local growers to use Louisiana fruits and vegetables.
We are proud to serve your child and encourage you to support our ongoing efforts to improve student health and well-being by participating in our Child Nutrition Program. For more information about our menus and programs, please visit www.cnpbr.org and to learn more about healthy school meals visit http://www.fns.usda.gov or www.myhealthyforlife.com.
We hope that you and your child have a great year! Please feel free to call us at 225-387-6421 with any questions or comments.
Sincerely,
Ms. Lynda Carville, CNP Director
2016-17 Letter to Households
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Food Allergy Form
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Free & Reduced Instructions
2015-16 Free & Reduced Guidelines
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