The Let's Go! program, a healthy eating and active living initiative in Knox and Lincoln counties, has established a work group for local food service directors to help face that daily challenge of cooking healthy food that meets the approval of both the federal government and students. Through grant funding from Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, workgroup members purchased new equipment, such as an outdoor grill and smoothie machine, and educated staff in food preparation.

Wiscasset Primary School nutrition team member Terri Meehan faces a daily challenge that will sound familiar to any parent: How to serve kids healthy, nutritious meals that they will actually like and eat.

Her most recent struggle? Beans.

"Today, students surprised me,” she said, in a news release from Pen Bay Healthcare. “We served them bean dip. They didn't instantly like it. I had to do a lot of going around to the tables being silly and asking the kids to try some. Once I get that one child to like it, others seem to follow. One girl was crying because she couldn't have more

If that was not enough, like other school nutrition directors, Meehan also has to conform to strict new federal guidelines that mandate what can and cannot be served in school cafeterias.

The Healthy Hunger Free kids Act of 2012 limits calories and salt, adds more whole grains and requires daily servings of fruits and vegetables and is the first major nutritional overhaul of school meals in more than 15 years. Susan Boivin, Food Service director of the Camden-Rockport schools, says it can be hard to keep up with new guidelines.

"These guidelines affect training, revenue strategy and create more paperwork. It becomes even harder to remain a presence in the cafeteria," she said.

Menu items, such as kale chips, homemade whole wheat pizza and carrot fries, are replacing old staples like mystery meat and French fries.

Linette Crockett, of School Union 69 (Appleton, Hope and Lincolnville) has noticed a change in her schools since receiving the grant.

"I have been able to make purchases that have increased my participation numbers,” she said. “I can make more eye- appealing, flavorful foods and make more from scratch."

While not all kids enjoy switching white bread for whole grains or French fries for carrot sticks, food service directors are hopeful that the changes in school nutrition are for the better. 

For Meehan, just exposing kids to new healthier options is enough.

"I know my success with the bean dip was small, but it's the little things that I feel add up," she said.

Let's Go! 5-2-1-0 is a nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program that focuses on increasing healthy eating and active living for children birth to 18 through policy and environmental change.

Contact Let's Go! Knox County coordinator Adrienne Gallant at 596-8951 or agallant@penbayhealthcare.org, or Let's Go! Lincoln County coordinator Ellen Baker at 563-4834 or ellen.baker@lchcare.org.