BLOOMINGTON, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Schwan’s Food Service, Inc. this week announced the launch of its 35 newest school lunch entrees, all of which are designed to help school foodservice directors meet the tough challenges of developing wholesome school lunch menus with items that students love to eat. The launch comes just in time for National School Lunch Week (Oct. 15-19) and as the nation continues its dialogue about school lunch regulations.
Schwan’s Food Service, a Minnesota-based company that has provided food to schools for more than 37 years, added its 35 newest items to its portfolio of more than 85 new and revised offerings, all of which meet the new school meal guidelines. These entrees include whole-grain crust pizzas, whole-grain flatbread sandwiches, and a variety of Asian-style stir-fry dishes with brown rice, providing familiar and satisfying options for students to pair with fruit, vegetables and low-fat milk.
Announced in January of this year, the USDA’s new school meal rules were implemented in lunchrooms around the country with the start of the 2012-2013 school year. The new rules establish calorie limits by age and require that weekly menus include more fruits and vegetables, more whole grains and reduced levels of sodium and fat. More than 31 million students rely on the National School Lunch Program and more than 12 million students rely on the School Breakfast Program to provide the nutrition and energy essential to perform their best in school and in after-school activities.
Schwan’s Food Service has been a leader in its drive to improve nutrition for more than a decade by reducing sodium and fat and increasing whole grains in its food for schools. When the final USDA rules were announced earlier this year, Schwan’s Food Service worked rigorously with its school foodservice customers to create an entire portfolio of entrees that met the new guidelines, while staying true to its heritage of making great-tasting, well-balanced foods that are listed among students’ favorites.
Mary O’Broin, vice president of marketing for Schwan’s Food Service, said the company is proud to offer school foodservice directors great new solutions for their weekly menus that will satisfy hungry kids while meeting nutrition requirements.
“It’s clear that parents, students, schools, foodservice directors, the USDA and food companies share the same goal of improving nutrition for kids while reducing childhood obesity. We need to work together to achieve this goal,” O’Broin said.
“Nutrition plays a critical role in the success of each student’s academic and extra-curricular performance,” O’Broin said. “If foods don’t taste good or are thrown out, it’s wasted nutrition. For this reason, we conduct taste tests with students across the country to ensure that its offerings reflect current taste preferences.”
About Schwan’s Food Service, Inc.
Schwan’s Food Service, Inc., a subsidiary of Minnesota-based The Schwan Food Company (www.theschwanfoodcompany.com), offers value-added frozen foods to foodservice operators through more than 1,800 active distributors. Customers include chain restaurants, public and private schools, colleges and universities, healthcare facilities and convenience stores. The company markets leading brands such as Tony’s®, Freschetta® and Big Daddy’s® pizza and Minh® Asian-style products. For more information, contact Schwan’s Food Service at 1-877-302-7426 or visit www.schwansfoodservice.com.
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