Senator Martins Samples Great Neck South High School's Healthy Lunch Menu

Senator Jack M. Martins and Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel, who both represent Great Neck in the New York State Legislature, recently returned to high school for lunch period at Great Neck South High School.

While the senator and the assemblywoman may have been students at different schools – Martins at Chaminade and Schimel at Midwood – this time, they were classmates, enjoying the school’s new nutritious lunch menu with students. The senator and assemblywoman were able to listen to the students’ thoughts on the new lunch menu, which was implemented in Great Neck schools using guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The menu allows for calorie limits while encouraging students to eat larger servings of fruits and vegetables. The menu provides for a wide variety of fruits and vegetables with a complete meal also including grains and protein for a balanced diet.

Sitting around a table in the cafeteria, some students gave their opinions on the school menu, providing valuable insight. Great Neck South High School Student Government President Sam Sommer pointed out that the new school lunch menu should be implemented with education so that students know what they can have when they go to the cafeteria to get their lunch.

Student Jay Zussman astutely pointed out that some students have different calorie needs than others. For example, athletes tend to need more calories since they tend to burn more, particularly in sports like running and swimming.

All agreed, though, that the new lunch menu gets students thinking more about healthy eating choices and portion control.

For Senator Martins and Assemblywoman Schimel, it was a pleasure being back in high school, where they had the opportunity to share in the discussion with some of Great Neck’s finest students as well as Principal Susan Elliott and Assistant Superintendent for Business & Finance John Powell.

For more on the lunch menus, visit www.greatneck.k12.ny.us and click on “Lunch Menus” at the top of the page. For more on the U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, visit www.choosemyplate.gov.