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WEEKLY NEWS 3: Virginia Changing School Lunches

Lunch is changing for many students as parents are becoming more involved in school lunch programs and are asking for more nutritious lunches to be offered in school.

In 2005, Congress passed a law that requires every school to have a nutrition program by 2006.

Virginia is one state hoping to make sure kids get the nutrition they need during lunchtime. Helping this are parents, who are noticing that schools are offering unhealthy side items. Parents of elementary and middle school students in Arlington, Virginia, want to see less salt and sugar in their kids' lunches. The parents want to see more vitamins and fruit. They say that it is important to educate the students about the food they are eating to help establish good eating habits early in life.

One reason schools sell items such as candy bars and fries is because these items cost less to produce or buy. When the school sells these items, it makes money to pay for the lunch program. In many cases, the budget for a school does not include lunches, so the school lunch program has to pay for itself. Because of this, schools have to find new ways of making money, and many resort to selling unhealthy snacks.

--Written by Joanne Tang

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