As of recently, Sartell became the first school system in Minnesota and the second in the nation to introduce a nutritional scoring system called “NuVal.”

In Sartell High School and Sartell Middle School, the scoring system is now used to rate all foods on the cafeteria’s a la carte menu items, as well as foods in the vending machines.

NuVal is a simple system. Each food item is given a number from 1 to 100. The higher the number, the healthier the food. Oranges and broccoli, for example, rate at or very near a perfect 100. Candy bars or potato chips, on the other hand, would be very near the bottom.

The NuVal “scores” are printed on a small tag next to each food item.

Students, staff and any school visitors can tell at a split-second glance if a food they are considering to eat is healthy or not. The same NuVal system has been introduced in Coborn’s stores throughout the area, starting about a year ago.

NuVal was developed by Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center. A dozen of the world’s nutritional experts helped him develop the scoring system, which takes into account more than 30 nutrients before assigning a NuVal score.

Katz was inspired to start the system as he became increasingly aware of the obesity rate in the nation, which has increased by 73 percent in just 15 years – to the point where one in four adults is considered obese.

“By listing the overall nutritional value of the food they eat in plain sight, students and faculty can see, at a glance, how nutritious the foods are they are choosing,” said Jodi Rohe, program coordinator for BLEND, which stands for Better Living Exercise and Nutrition Daily, a part of the CentraCare Health Systems. “We aren’t trying to be the food police and won’t be dictating what students should purchase. What we want to do is inform students, parents and faculty about the NuVal food scoring system and, in doing so, empower them to trade up for better health.”

Sartell-St. Stephen School District Food Director Brenda Braulick is an eager supporter of NuVal. It is one of the many ways she and her food-service staff are trying to improve constantly the nutritional value of foods at the school – including the foods the staff serves for lunch and the choices students can make in the vending machines.

Superintendent Dr. Joe Hill is also enthused about NuVal.

“Our vision of excellence is holistic and promotes the attributes of quality, life-enriching behaviors,” he said.

“We believe each child deserves to be healthy, safe, engaged, supported and challenged. I am very excited to be part of this exciting partnership.”

The introduction of NuVal into Sartell schools was made possible by a grant of $28,000 from the Medica Foundation.

NuVal has been introduced in 19 Coborn’s stores in the Upper Midwest, including eight Coborn’s stores in central Minnesota.