Biden administration proposing school lunch changes

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) — The Biden administration announced Friday some new proposed nutrition standards for schools.

The changes would help lower sugar and salt content and require more whole-grain products.

Chartwell is the food service provider for Bay District Schools.

Chartwell managers said they’ve been focused on healthy and nutritious food since the Obama administration.

Chartwell Community Engagement Specialist Stephanie Werchan said there’s been an extra emphasis since Hurricane Michael and COVID when the district had no choice but to serve pre-packaged meals.

“So we are under a lot of guidelines, and we just recently hired our own executive chef and he’s already started implementing more creative and more scratch-made items on the menu to really try to shake it up a little bit, incorporate the new standards and still have it be delicious and healthy,” Werchan said.

Their current meal plan includes cooking from scratch and limiting sugar, fat, and salt.