The Wentzville Board of Education has voted to opt out of the national school lunch program.

According to Susan Raster, Director of Child Nutrition for the WSD, despite the district’s continued enrollment growth, fewer students are purchasing school lunches and a significant amount of food is going to waste. Not only is food going to waste, but the department is losing tons of money, a total of $83,000 last year.

“We feel the decline in students purchasing lunch is directly related to the increase in restrictions on what we serve,” Raster said.

Numerous changes are being taken including, caps on calories, saturated and trans fat, and requirements to offer smaller servings and a wider variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as sodium restrictions.

Opting out of the national school lunch program will give students more appealing options, which will hopefully increase the number of students buying lunch and decrease the amount of food that goes to waste.

Wentzville is excited about the options that they now will be able to serve while still providing healthy, appetizing meals.