Washington report: Changing elementary school lunch schedules could improve healthy eating – KXLY Spokane

OLYMPIA, Washington – Releasing kids to recess before they eat lunch and allowing at least 20 minutes of seated lunch time could mean kids eat a healthier school lunch, according to an audit released this week by the state of Washington.

The audit was borne out of Governor Jay Inslee’s Healthiest Next Generation Program, which encouraged state and local agencies to work towards a healthier weight and more active lives.

The state’s Superintendent of Public Instruction has also expressed concern about the rising obesity rates among children and asked for a performance audit regarding lunch scheduling practices in elementary schools across the state.

The audit points to research which says students who have more time to eat lunch eat more nutritious food and waste less. Education and nutrition groups suggest a minimum of 20 minutes of seated lunchtime. The research also says kids who have recess before lunch eat more fruits and vegetables and also drink more milk and display better overall behavior.

Some states have policies encouraging children to go to recess before they eat lunch, but it is not common practice for elementary schools nationwide.

The audit looked at elementary schools across Washington and observed 31 schools in person, including Freeman, Logan and Hallett in Spokane County. The audit found that most of the schools do not allocate 20 minutes of seated time for lunch. More than half do not schedule recess before lunch.

The schools pointed to challenges in organization, coordination and prioritization for not having recess before lunch. Some schools don’t have a designated cafeteria, which makes scheduling lunches even more difficult. The schools also had a tendency to overestimate how much seated time kids had for lunch. Districts also pointed to overcrowding, understaffing, and insufficient funds to pay cafeteria workers for longer hours.

The audit concludes that the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction can play a role in improving children’s health by requiring schools to give adequate time to eat lunch and encouraging the practice of releasing kids to recess before they eat.

The audit recommends that the state define the amount of time required for lunch and that the state helps guide schools through this process.

In response to the audit’s recommendations, OSPI Superindenent Chris Reykdal says his office plans to “move forward with the rule process to define a twenty-minute seated lunch time for all students and require recess before lunch for elementary students.”

It’s not clear yet what the timeline is to implement those changes.

You can read the entire report and recommendations here.