The One to Count On...

New nutritional guidelines put out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture could have an effect on school lunches. The new regulations will be put into place in steps, beginning with the 2012-2013 school year. Pella Community School District Food Services Director Carolyn Klein says she and her team are already at work developing new recipes. The guidelines are intended to cut sodium, fat and sugar levels and integrate more fresh fruits and vegetables. Klein says because low-sodium and no-sugar-added foods cost more, the new rules will be hard on her budget and she won’t know for sure how the new rules will affect school breakfast and lunch prices until the district has recieved bids from food suppliers. She expects those bids sometime in April.