Nutrition is an important topic for students and staff at Rio Grande City Grulla Independent School District.

According to FeedingAmerica.org, 31 percent of kids in Starr County struggle with food insecurity.

That's why the district's Child Nutrition Program is making it their goal to provide not only healthy, but tasty meals for students.

The Child Nutrition Program at RGCGISD continues to evolve. Staff are making sure they are cooking up nutritious meals for students, especially in rural areas like Starr County.

"Our goal is to help children develop lifelong healthy eating habits, because we know in these formative years the nutrition they receive in this program will prepare them for the journey ahead," RGCGISD Clinical Dietitian Patsy Ramirez said.

Ramirez says Starr County has a high population of kids who are socioeconomically disadvantaged.

"Hunger is very difficult to recognize in a child, that's why we provide access to these very critical programs. We provide school breakfast, we provide school lunch, and we also offer supper meals and that is available at all campuses every day of the week," Ramirez said.

Ramirez says that's exactly why students should have access to food when they're at school. Those meals should also align with federal guidelines.

"Maybe parents don't realize that when we offer those types of menu items, that they're healthy," Ramirez said. "For example, our fries are oven baked, they're not fried."

The program also surveys the students about what food they like and why they are choosing certain meals.

"We go ahead, and we analyze current trends, and we want to go ahead and prepare items that are comparable to that. Who is our competition?" Ramirez said. "We look at all of that in the fast food market, cause that's what our kids like."

School leaders want to offer healthy alternatives to fast food.

The district says their nutrition program is different compared to other schools in the Rio Grande Valley.

"About 75 percent or more of our meals that we prepare on a daily basis are made from scratch," Ramirez said.

The district offers a variety of options, including salads daily. The goal of the program is to make sure no student goes hungry at home.