SMMUSD implements "Smart Snacks"

SMMUSD has made an important change to food services, known formally as “Smart Snacks.” This system, put in place by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), will be experienced by Samo in upcoming months.The cafeteria is trying to adapt to the new requirements by taking off some snacks that don’t meet the requirements of the updated health standards. The new standards focus on snack foods and beverages sold to children during the school day. The soonest change that Samo is about to experience is the elimination of snack items such as some chips, beverages, corn nuts and other snacks that do not meet the nutrient requirements qualifications given the excess of calories, sodium, fat and sugar.“The health and safety of our students is our top priority,” superintendent Dr. Ben Drati said. “Research shows that kids who have healthy eating patterns are more likely to perform better academically, and we can do our part to contribute to these life long habits.”Furthermore, in a couple of months, pizza will no longer be sold at Samo the way it is now. Right now, pizza is bought by itself at carts around campus, but the new program is planned to make students buy vegetables too, which will go on the same plate. The strategy could have two kinds of effects though, the first one, and most likely, is that all the pizza consumers will just leave the campus during lunch in search of the food they want. And the second one, the students will remain in school and adapt to the new food policy.Although the reform may look perfect on paper, it has caused controversy among some Samo students. The inflection point on this issue is the fact there’s a considerable big amount of students who rather eating unhealthy good-tasting food.Ethan Morgan (’19) prefers being more independent when it comes to choosing his lunch.“I disagree with this policy because when I buy something unhealthy, like pizza, I know what I’m doing,” Morgan said. “That being said, I'd rather enjoy my pizza by itself, knowing what effects it’s going to have on me, rather than being forced to eat something I don't want, like vegetables.”Conversely, Nikola Scuric (’19) a sophomore who regularly buys healthy food at the cafeteria, shows excitement to the smart snacks change.“I like the idea of healthier food being served at Samo. It already sounds far better than the current food that is served at lunch which usually is unappetizing to say the least,” Scuric said. “I normally get either chicken salads or fruit salads because these are the healthiest meals available and I like them but I think it would be good to have more variety of healthy meals rather than having only two salads.”According to the website “President’s Council on Fitness, Sport and Nutrition,” unhealthy eating habits have contributed to the obesity epidemic in the United States: 12.5 million of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese. Even for people at a healthy weight, a poor diet is associated with major health risks that can cause illness and even death. These include heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), type two diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.The nutrition department is looking forward to make these numbers the past. With the launch of the Smart Snacks program the district can ensure that kids are offered tasty and nutritious foods during the school day, both in the cafeteria and at snack bars. These reforms however, are just the beginning of a long and challenging era.