‘Cheese sandwich’ policies don’t satisfy hungry kids

Given the economic pressures on working families, good school nutrition is more important than ever. Serving healthier meals is vital for our kids.

Many school meal programs, however, struggle to pay for healthier food and more wholesome preparation. In a recent survey of AFT members, 42.9 percent of food service workers said they expected school meal costs to exceed revenues.

This predicament has led to “cheese sandwich,” “alternate meal” and “unpaid balance” policies in school districts nationwide. These policies apply when a student has surpassed some threshold—five unpaid meals or a negative balance of $12, for example—or when a child lacks documentation to qualify for free or reduced-price meals.

When that happens, children must forgo the school’s hot, nutritious lunch and instead receive an alternate meal, one that is often less substantive, less nutritious and cold, such as a cheese sandwich and milk. They even may be asked to return a hot meal that has already been set on their tray, ready to be eaten.

“Cheese sandwich” policies pit children’s health against schools’ bottom lines. And who loses that contest? Our kids.

To begin addressing this nationwide debacle, the AFT has sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, sharing AFT members’ thoughts and recommendations, and proposing ways to eliminate ad hoc solutions.