Menu and Nutritional Information

The Santo ISD Child Nutrition Department offers a variety of food items that meet the needs of our diverse student and adult population. Breakfast and lunch use a traditional menu pattern planning system, which meets our department’s nutrition goals and adheres to USDA and the Texas Administration Code regulations. For additional information, please go to the Texas Department of Agriculture or Squaremeals.

The Child Nutrition Department is committed to meeting or exceeding all recommended nutritional requirements as defined by the USDA and the TDA. We have also taken the necessary steps to ensure all students in our school system have meals that support healthy eating habits.

Examples of our practices that ensure we are complying with the new guidelines are: 

• No deep fat frying (Broil and Bake only) 
• Increased use of whole grain Pasta and Bread Products 
• Servings of a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables 
• Use of Low Fat Milk only 
• Use of reduced fat cheese 
• Increased offerings of Vegetarian/Meatless food items 
• Meals do not exceed recommended calories, sodium and fat allowance

Nutrition Policy

New Federal Nutrition Standards for Public Schools

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established new and improved nutrition standards for school lunches as part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act signed into law in 2010. These new standards mark the first major change to school meals in more than 15 years. SISD’s Child Nutrition Services Department has made changes to its menus and its preparation techniques to comply with the new standards.

Child Nutrition will offer additional whole grain products and will increase the number of servings of fruits and vegetables.

Other new components to SISD’s meal program include:

• Students must choose a minimum of ½ cup of a vegetable or fruit each day.
• A wider variety of vegetables are now being offered.
• All grains are now whole-grain, 51% or higher.
• Milk options will be 1% or fat-free.
• Calories, sodium and saturated fats are now required to be within a certain range in food items sold or served.

Texas Administrative Code

The United States Department of Agriculture and the Texas Department of Agriculture mandates the nutrient content of the food items served or sold to students during the school day. The Texas Department of Agriculture regulations are contained in the Texas Administrative Code.