Clarification of hot lunch guidelines

I’d like to add a little detail to the interpretation of Senate Bill 12, which limits fat and sugar in school hot lunches.

The 175-calorie limitation, noted in the article, is designed to limit calories for snacks at elementary schools. This is not an issue in Los Altos since we don’t offer a snack bar at recess or lunch at that level. This calorie limit is 250 at the junior high and high schools in California.

Healthier snacks were implemented at our junior high schools last year.

The basis of SB12 is a limit of 35 percent total fat, 10 percent saturated fat and 35 percent total weight of sugar for food served at the schools. At the junior high level, no item in a meal can exceed 400 calories. This standard arose from a cafeteria system in which a student walks through a cafeteria line where no item can exceed 400 calories.

Because our district offers food from local restaurants, this guideline has been vague for our interpretation.

The Los Altos School District hot lunch chairs made their best effort this summer to meet the 35/10/35 guidelines mandated by the state.

I would say their efforts paid off, as I heard many random comments from parents that they didn’t notice any change when viewing samples.

What you won’t see this year are deep-fried foods, high-fat pizzas and desserts with sugar. Thank you to all the parents who made that happen.

Something else missing this year will be most food-based fundraising, using noncompliant foods for celebrations and the use of food as a reward.

Donna Soo

nutrition consultant

Los Altos School District

Clarification on endowment

Because of an oversight on my account, there was some misinformation included in the obituary honoring my late husband, Jim Johnston.

For those who choose to contribute to the Johnston Endowment in lieu of flowers, please make the checks out to Music For Minors and indicate on the check that it is in memory of Jim Johnston.

The actual Endowment Fund is still in the planning stages and is not set up to receive gifts at this time.

My heartfelt thanks to all who have been so generous, and I apologize for the confusion this may have caused.

Grace Johnston

Los Altos

Editor’s note: Johnston founded Music For Minors, which recruits and trains music docents to teach in local schools.