New standards for school meals? Does this mean no more unidentifiable meat covered in brown sauce?

The USDA has begun the process to develop new nutrition standards for school meals.  The standards will add more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low fat foods.  The school meal program in the US originated in 1947 with meals being distributed as a way to counteract malnutrition in addition to acting as a market for surplus agricultural products.  It doesn't take too large of a leap to figure out that over time, the needs of big business have taken precidence over those of the students. But now the USDA is taking steps in the right direction.  Today's school lunches some closer to resembling fast food than they do to the meals your mom used to make, that is unless you mom fed you straight from the closest fast food chain.  With many kids consuming a majority of their daily calories at school, the new standards will help to get American kids back on the right health track.  The standards limit levels of saturated fat, sodium, calories and trans fats.  The changes are based on the recommendations released in October 2009 by the National Academies' Institute of Medicine (IOM).  The standards aren't perfect (limits on sugars aren't addressed and flavored milks are still allowed), but they are a start!