Key findings on Long Island school lunch menus

Newsday examined hundreds of Long Island school lunch menus, budgets and vending machine contracts and spoke to dozens of school food professionals and leaders. The findings:

NO MONEY. Although they get some federal and state reimbursements, school food programs get virtually no financial support from the local taxes residents pay.

FATTY FOODS. Long Island's public schools serve more pizza, processed chicken nuggets and burgers than any other hot meal.

LOADS OF SNACKS. Sales of snacks such as chips and cookies produced between 8 percent and 58 percent of total revenue in the 42 districts that provided complete financial information.

FREE LUNCHES HELP. In low-income districts, kids tend to eat better because more of them get the standard meal and buy fewer snacks.

OUTDATED RULES.

Federal standards governing the national school lunch program have not been upgraded since the mid-'90s, and rules governing cafeteria snack sales have remained largely unchanged for nearly 30 years.

THE SERIES

Saturday: Money - the major hurdle in improving school food.

Sunday: A look at vending contracts.

Monday: Expert advice on how to make school food better.

Reporter: Jennifer Sinco Kelleher

Story editor: Michael Dobie

Designer: Jessica Randklev

Photo editor: Oswaldo Jimenez

Copy editor: Leema Thomas

Research assistance: Michael R. Ebert