Teenage tummies are rumbling and teenage mouths are grumbling at Old Rochester Regional High School as new federal and state regulations restrict what cafeterias can serve.

The food “doesn’t have good plate coverage, so they think it’s a skimpy meal,” said Director of Food Services Caitlin Meagher.

Meagher said the new laws include a maximum and minimum number of calories for meals, along with a restriction on the amount of grains and proteins students can have.

The maximum calories per meal are 650 for kindergarten through 5th grade, 700 for 6th through 8th and 850 for grades nine to 12.

By limiting saturated fat, getting rid of trans fat as well as a new state law restricting sodium, cafeteria food is getting healthier, but it doesn’t fill the plastic trays like it used to.

“At the elementary schools, things haven’t changed much. Our menus were pretty in line with the new regulations,” said Meagher. “At the middle and high school levels, we are finding that some of the portions are a little smaller.”

That has lead to complaints from older students who may eat lunch at 10:30 a.m. and not get another meal until after sports practice.

In order for the school to be reimbursed for free and reduced lunches, Meagher said the schools have to offer five lunch components. Students must take three, one being a fruit or vegetable. The limit on sodium also means that a la carte options are fewer.

“The students are not taking all the components or not consuming all the components,” she said. “We do have students complaining they are still hungry, but we’re finding that they’re throwing part of it away.”

Although the number of students eating lunches at the high school, approximately 50 percent, hasn’t changed, Meagher is looking for ways to make meals more palatable to students.

She already added chocolate milk to the menu, which gives kids an extra 100 calories.

“We’re not the only school district dealing with this, and hopefully something will happen as we continue sharing information so we can make some adjustments,” said Superintendent Doug White.

Meagher said, “We’re trying to work with our menus and recipes to bring new stuff in that meets the regulations but also looks like a hearty meal. We’re experimenting.”