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U.S. NEWS Thursday 2 March 2017
American Living:

Steamed in the school caf over restrictions on lunch sharing

where he founded the or- of Education added the of the district population
ganization, has become a new restrictions after con- — but even with govern-
national leader with some sulting with public health ment reimbursement it is
400 schools running share officials. A state memo de- not cost-effective for Wall-
tables or recovering food tailed concerns about po- ingford to serve subsidized
for pantries. tential hazards with foods breakfast, as some larger
Some states, such as Ver- that require temperature districts do. With lunch gen-
mont, have longer lists of control. erally served early in the
items that can be shared, An education depart- day, Menzo said, the share
while others, like North Car- ment spokeswoman, Abbe tables are seen as a way to
olina, have prohibited shar- Smith, said that it supports help those who might ar-
ing any food that already the share-tables strategy rive at school hungry.
has been served. and that student health A donated refrigerator at
Officials often are not and safety is a top priority. the middle school keeps
aware that food donations Connecticut does still allow cold yogurt and milk desig-
are protected from liabil- sharing of commercially nated for sharing.
ity by a Good Samaritan packaged pre-cut fruits School officials have in-
law that was extended to and vegetables, pre-pack- quired about a waiver
schools in 2011, Williamson aged crackers and nuts, to the new state policy.
said. and fruit with peels, such as Without a reversal, food
“It’s the same objections oranges and bananas. donated in district schools
every single time,” he said. In Wallingford, more than that cannot be shared with
“There’s this myth that 1,300 students are eligible other students will be col-
they’re going to get sued.” for free or reduced-price lected for distribution at a
Connecticut’s Department lunch — roughly 22 percent food pantry instead. q

In this Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017 photo, Nick Iannone, 14,
poses in front of the share table he launched as a school
project at James H. Moran Middle School in Wallingford,
Conn. School officials there are criticizing a state policy
change that restricts sharing of some uneaten food items.
(AP Photo/Michael Melia)

MICHAEL MELIA Moran Middle School.
Associated Press Students of all back-
WALLINGFORD, Conn. (AP) grounds took advantage
— Those lessons about of the extra servings, Super-
sharing? At lunchtime, in intendent Salvatore Menzo
Connecticut schools, they said, but he worries the pol-
come with an asterisk. icy change could deprive
School officials in a Con- needy students, including
necticut town are criti- those who might go with-
cizing new restrictions on out breakfast at home.
lunchroom “share tables,” “It’s unfortunate the state
which encourage students of Connecticut has cho-
to donate uneaten food sen to remove many of
for any classmates who the items we were able
may be hungry. to share and have shared
The concept has been pro- from the list of acceptable
moted by the U.S. Agricul- items,” Menzo said.
ture Department as a way The USDA’s Food and Nu-
to reduce waste, but it is trition Service in a June
up to local governments 2016 memo endorsed set-
to determine what health ting up stations where
codes will allow. Under a schoolchildren can return
Connecticut policy updat- food or beverage items
ed in January, unopened and make them available
milk, most fruits and the like to others. While the fed-
are off the table. eral government recom-
In Wallingford, a New Ha- mended sharing of fruit
ven suburb, Nick Iannone, and unopened milk that is
14, launched a share table kept cold, it noted that lo-
last year as a school proj- cal food and safety codes
ect. He noticed fruits and may be more restrictive.
vegetables that come with The idea has not caught on
every hot lunch were end- widely in American schools,
ing up in the trash. John Williamson, the presi-
“I realized no one eats dent of Food Rescue,
that,” said Iannone, an which works with schools
eighth-grader at James H. to reduce waste. Indiana,