Obesity is one of the top health issues for the new century; and the Perham-Dent schools are taking on the issue.
Vegetables and previously unimaginable recipes like "Broccoli Normandy" are on the daily lunch menus.
Over the past 20 years, as obesity has been more closely studied, the number of obese people his risen from as low as 10 percent to more than 25 percent.
The statistics were boldly displayed on the projection screen at the Sept. 13 Perham-Dent school board meeting.
The data was presented by Superintendent Tamara Uselman. In addition, she outlined some of the new, healthy-eating initiatives in the school cafeterias.
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With the exception of perhaps one phone call, where a parent questioned why the school wasn't serving "Little Debbie" packaged snacks and cakes, the response to the new menu items has been good, according to Uselman.
Here are a few of the changes at the Perham-Dent school lunch lines.
---A fresh vegetable option is available daily.
---Chicken breasts are served, as opposed to deep-fried chicken nuggets.
---The school is serving less of the "overprocessed" foods, especially meat.
---Whole grain breads are served.
---A salad bar is set up for students.
---Even cookies are made smaller, as a means of reducing consumption.
