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Feedback: Some Students Complain About School Lunches

Story Published: Sep 13, 2012 at 3:44 PM EDT

Story Updated: Sep 13, 2012 at 6:23 PM EDT

Milk, graham crackers, peanut butter and jelly and yogurt - that's an example of what kids might be having for lunch at school.

In this case, the student said she had to pay extra for the PB&J.

"They really reduced the amount of food that's in the school lunches," said Anthony Crisafulli, a senior at South Jefferson High School.

He has stopped buying school lunches and many of his classmates are doing the same.

"This is not a complete meal they are serving," said Crisafulli.

But according to new federal guidelines, it is. 

South Jefferson Food Services Manager Cynthia Overton says schools are now required to provide larger portions of fresh fruits and vegetables and more whole grains, while at the same time meeting new calorie limits.

"The last ten years it was just a scoop of this and a ladle of that and now it's more portion-sized by grade levels," she said.

Even if Overton wanted to make changes, she doesn't have much wiggle room. 

She has a thick binder full of the new USDA regulations - she calls it the nutrition bible. 

She gave 7 News a 40-page document, which she calls "the short version."

The changes have required a lot of work and Overton hopes it will pay off. 

Although Crisafulli and his friends are hungry for change, they understand there's little the school can do. 

So, for now, they'll eat lunch out of a brown paper bag. 

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Thursday, May 23, 2013
, Watertown, NY

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