MIAMI (WSVN) - Miami-Dade County Public Schools has made some changes to the menus for their schools this school year.

Angie Kasselakis, the food nutrition officer for the school district, said the new menu options aim to nurture kids trough their minds and their stomachs.

"Healthy food equals healthier behavior, just overall to be able to successfully go through the day and be able to do well in school, and that really starts off with eating healthy," she said.

Kasselakis on Wednesday showed 7News some of the new items that will be available for this year's school lunch and explained the healthy changes being incorporated.

"Dr. Praeger's Broccoli Littles, this is one of our Clean Label items. Clean Label means that the ingredients are ones that you and I can pronounce," she said. "Over here we have our uncured turkey ham and cheese stromboli, which is also whole grain. We have our whole grain bosco breadsticks stuffed with a reduced fat mozzarella cheese, and here's one of my favorites, is our Clean Label creamy tomato soup."

For breakfast, students can expect things like whole grain orange muffins.

"That is aldo made in a peanut free facility," said Kasselakis.

Students also have fruits, whole wheat waffles and turkey bacon to choose from as part of the breakfast menu.

"All of the items that come into the child nutrition program, whether it be breakfast or lunch, have to meet the dietary guidelines, the federal guidelines, so all these items here meet a certain criteria, whether it's for sodium, for sugar, for calorie count," said Kasselakis. "Students themselves picked them out when we had our food show last year, and they evaluated these different items high."

Not only are the options healthier and delicious, but they will also be free for students in Miami-Dade.

"Unfortunately, we do have some students in our school district that this may be their only hot meal; making sure that a student gets a healthy meal sets them up to study better, to be more attentive in school," said Kasselakis.

All the food has been approved by kids, and school district officials will continue to evaluate throughout the year to see how the students are liking the food.

They plan on having another Food Fair in February.

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