HAYWARD, Calif. (KGO) -- Many school cafeterias in California are challenged while preparing fresh, healthy meals because of outdated kitchens. East Bay congressman Mark Desaulnier has introduced a new bill called the School Food Modernization Act to help change that problem.
The Healthy-Hunger Free Kids Act was signed in 2010. It raised the bar when it came to cafeteria food. Since then,cafeterias in America have had to deal with the demand of this act using antiquated equipment. A national survey found 88 percent of schools need at least one piece of new kitchen equipment.
Most of the kitchen at Bowman Elementary in Hayward has been modernized. This ensures that students are given healthy meals cooked on site. But like the majority of schools the refrigeration system is out of date.
It's both inefficient and lacks the necessary space to store perishable goods, including fruits, vegetables and milk for an entire week.
While the federal government has told schools they must have more variety and serve nutritional meals, districts have had to fend for themselves when it comes to modernizing their cafeterias.
Robin Gallagher is the district's Director of Food Services.
"We don't have the infrastructure to support what the requirements say we must do," Gallagher said.
A bill now in congress, the School Food Modernization Act, that if passed would provide school districts with grants and a way to participate in a loan assistance program to buy equipment and make upgrades.
"It probably costs in the neighborhood of $250,000 to upgrade a kitchen in the high school to get it up to par to what it needs to be for today's standards," said Peter Oshinksi of the Hayward Unified School District.
Mt. Eden High School's kitchen dates back to the 1960s. The old giant refrigerator broke and is now used to store dry goods. To better serve students, the school also needs more double ovens and warmers.
This district serves 15,000 meals a day, a task not easily achieved with some of its outdated kitchens.