Sen. Hoeven on Sensible School Lunch Act - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Some senators in Washington want school cooks to have more flexibility when it comes to feeding kids breakfast and lunch.

Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp are among the bipartisan leaders in support of the Sensible School Lunch Act.

The legislation is in response to frustration and concern over strict USDA rules implemented last year. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act was intended to address the nation's childhood obesity epidemic by putting strict limits on calories, protein and grains served to kids at school. It set strict new guidelines for lunch menus, caused a strain on school budgets....and parents complained kids weren't getting enough to eat--not every student fit the guidelines. The USDA has since eased up on some of the strict limits...but only temporarily.

Senator Hoeven says his proposal would be permanent.

"We keep the calorie limits in place under this legislation. That stays in place so we're still addressing the childhood obesity issue which is so important but the grains and protein need flexibility so when you add children of different sizes, with different physical activities and different nutritional needs, they've got the flexibility to provide the kinds of meals that work," Hoeven said.

Senator Hoeven says that flexibility is what 60-thousand food service professional from schools across the country said they need to provide the nutritional needs of children they feed every day.