MINNETONKA, Minn. (WCCO) — Students at Deephaven Elementary School are getting used to a healthier lunch menu.

“There’s an obesity epidemic. One in three kids are either overweight or obese. Just that alone, makes (the menu) necessary,” said Life Time Fitness Dietitian Anika Christ.

This year at the school, Life Time Fitness is helping serve up foods without bleached flour, processed sugar, food coloring, high-fructose corn syrup, preservatives, trans fats and hormones.

The hot ham and cheese is made on a homemade wheat bun with all-natural cheddar cheese and ham.

When asked what she thought about the new food, one smiling student said, “I thought it was really good.”

When asked about the whole wheat bun on the hot ham and cheese, another student said, “It’s better tasting than the old one.”

“The hope for this is to help kids feel fuller, longer when they’re eating real foods again. That’s going to help them sustain, think better in school, be less hungry, and give them more energy,” said Christ.

Life Time is picking up the extra cost for the food this school year, but school leaders will try to keep the healthier menu around and expand it to other schools in the Minnetonka district.

“This is not a temporary change,” said Deephaven Principal Bryan McGinley. “The goal is to stick with exactly what we’ve done and find a way to make it cost effective.”

Life Time is using Deephaven as a pilot program this year and wants to spread it to dozens of other cities across the country.