USDA to announce grants for school kitchens as foundations issue report on need
December 18, 2013 | 12:10 AM
The Agriculture Department today will announce $11 million in grants to help schools purchase equipment to make preparing and serving healthier meals easier and more efficient, while the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will release a comprehensive study of the need for new school kitchen equipment around the country.
“Schools are successfully serving healthier meals to America’s students, but the right equipment and training can further their efforts to improve the health of our next generation,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release, referring to the standards imposed by the 2010 Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.
“These grants will help schools upgrade equipment to help support nutritious meals, better ensure food safety, improve energy efficiency in the cafeteria, and expand participation in school nutrition programs,” he added.
In addition to the District of Columbia and Guam, 14 states were selected to receive grants based on free- and reduced-price participation in the National School Lunch Program and greatest unmet need, USDA said.
Those states are Arkansas, California, District of Columbia, Guam, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington. States will competitively award the funds to school districts to purchase needed equipment, with priority given to districts serving a high percentage of low-income children.
Meanwhile, the Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project, a collaboration between The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, will release a report called “Serving Healthy School Meals: U.S. Schools Need Updated Kitchen Equipment,” which focuses on school equipment needs based on a survey of school food service personnel.
The findings suggest that while most schools need additional resources to upgrade cafeteria equipment, the equipment itself is not necessarily expensive or out of reach — estimated costs for top five needed items ranged from $32 to $1,941, USDA noted.
In a news release, Jessica Donze Black, director of the Pew-Robert Wood Johnson project, praised the USDA grants, but said the report points out that the problem is much bigger.
“The grants made available today by USDA are a great example of how to address schools’ needs,” said Donze Black. “It will require buy-in from schools, communities, and the government to make sure that they have the right tools to serve nutritious meals efficiently and effectively, but it is a goal worth achieving.”
The report found that most schools are providing healthier meals, but that 88 percent need new equipment, particularly to store the fruits and vegetables that are emphasized under the new standards.
Only 42 percent of school food authorities reported having a budget to purchase capital equipment, and less than half expected the budget to be adequate to meet their equipment needs, the study said.
In addition to storage equipment for fruits and vegetables, the schools need slicers and choppers, knives, cutting boards, food processors and software programs.
Holding cabinets that maintain the temperature of hot meals before serving, estimated at $6,000 each, were among the top five pieces of needed equipment in urban communities, the study said. Schools in which more than 60 percent of students qualify for reduced-price meals were more likely to need walk-in freezers.
The report covered schools that have full-service kitchens and those that rely on central production facilities. The report also noted that cafeterias should be made more attractive so that students are more likely to eat at school rather than go off campus.
Federal reimbursement rates are intended to cover food costs, not kitchen equipment, the report noted. The federal government has made additional funds available for kitchen equipment and infrastructure upgrades but the report also noted that nonprofit and for-profit organizations that have an interest in improving children’s health, education, school infrastructure, and community wellness should assist schools in acquiring the necessary equipment.
The report includes suggestions for options schools can use to finance the upgrades.
Pew Charitable Trust — Serving Healthy School Meals: U.S. Schools Need Updated Kitchen Equipment
“Schools are successfully serving healthier meals to America’s students, but the right equipment and training can further their efforts to improve the health of our next generation,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release, referring to the standards imposed by the 2010 Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.
“These grants will help schools upgrade equipment to help support nutritious meals, better ensure food safety, improve energy efficiency in the cafeteria, and expand participation in school nutrition programs,” he added.
In addition to the District of Columbia and Guam, 14 states were selected to receive grants based on free- and reduced-price participation in the National School Lunch Program and greatest unmet need, USDA said.
Those states are Arkansas, California, District of Columbia, Guam, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington. States will competitively award the funds to school districts to purchase needed equipment, with priority given to districts serving a high percentage of low-income children.
Meanwhile, the Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project, a collaboration between The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, will release a report called “Serving Healthy School Meals: U.S. Schools Need Updated Kitchen Equipment,” which focuses on school equipment needs based on a survey of school food service personnel.
The findings suggest that while most schools need additional resources to upgrade cafeteria equipment, the equipment itself is not necessarily expensive or out of reach — estimated costs for top five needed items ranged from $32 to $1,941, USDA noted.
In a news release, Jessica Donze Black, director of the Pew-Robert Wood Johnson project, praised the USDA grants, but said the report points out that the problem is much bigger.
“The grants made available today by USDA are a great example of how to address schools’ needs,” said Donze Black. “It will require buy-in from schools, communities, and the government to make sure that they have the right tools to serve nutritious meals efficiently and effectively, but it is a goal worth achieving.”
The report found that most schools are providing healthier meals, but that 88 percent need new equipment, particularly to store the fruits and vegetables that are emphasized under the new standards.
Only 42 percent of school food authorities reported having a budget to purchase capital equipment, and less than half expected the budget to be adequate to meet their equipment needs, the study said.
In addition to storage equipment for fruits and vegetables, the schools need slicers and choppers, knives, cutting boards, food processors and software programs.
Holding cabinets that maintain the temperature of hot meals before serving, estimated at $6,000 each, were among the top five pieces of needed equipment in urban communities, the study said. Schools in which more than 60 percent of students qualify for reduced-price meals were more likely to need walk-in freezers.
The report covered schools that have full-service kitchens and those that rely on central production facilities. The report also noted that cafeterias should be made more attractive so that students are more likely to eat at school rather than go off campus.
Federal reimbursement rates are intended to cover food costs, not kitchen equipment, the report noted. The federal government has made additional funds available for kitchen equipment and infrastructure upgrades but the report also noted that nonprofit and for-profit organizations that have an interest in improving children’s health, education, school infrastructure, and community wellness should assist schools in acquiring the necessary equipment.
The report includes suggestions for options schools can use to finance the upgrades.
Pew Charitable Trust — Serving Healthy School Meals: U.S. Schools Need Updated Kitchen Equipment
