Skip To Main Content

Nutrition Standards for School Meals

  • Food Services
Nutrition Standards for School Meals
Updated

Marana Unified School District proudly plans our menus to meet the following USDA standards: 

  • More fruits and vegetables: We offer students fruits and vegetables with every lunch and increased the portion sizes. Vegetable choices at lunch include weekly offerings of: legumes, dark green, and red or orange vegetables. Every school breakfast we offers students a full cup* of fruits or vegetables. *Students are required to take at least one half-cup serving of fruits or vegetables with every school breakfast and lunch. 
  • Whole grains: All grains offered in our school meals are whole grain-rich (the first ingredient must be a whole grain).  This even includes the breading on our chicken nuggets! 
  • Sodium Limits: We continue to meet the timeline for sodium reduction.

Sodium Reduction Target Timeline for School Meals

Grades Target 1
(July 1, 2014)
Target 2
(July 1, 2017)
Final Target
(July 1, 2022)
K-5: School Breakfast Program ≤540 mg ≤485 mg ≤430 mg
6-8: School Breakfast Program ≤600 ≤535 ≤470
9-12: School Breakfast Program ≤640 ≤570 ≤500
K-5: National School Lunch Program ≤1,230 ≤935 ≤640
6-8: National School Lunch Program ≤1,360 ≤1,035 ≤710
9-12: National School Lunch Program ≤1,420 ≤1,080 ≤740

Limits on unhealthy fat: Our meals do not contain added trans-fat and have no more than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat. Low-fat and fat-free milk: Every school meal offers one cup of fat-free or 1% milk. We only offer fat-free chocolate milk that has been developed with less added sugar specifically for schools to meet calorie limits. Free water: Drinking fountains are available in the cafeteria during lunch and breakfast. Calorie limits: School meals must meet age-appropriate calorie minimums and maximums:

Calorie Limits

Grades Breakfast Lunch
K-5:  350-500 calories 550-650 calories
6-8:  400-550 600-700
9-12:  450-600 750-850
  • Food Services