Celebrate National Farm to School Month

The National Farm to School Network advocated for the creation of National Farm to School Month and now organizes the annual celebration in October. National Farm to School Month was designated by Congress in 2010 to demonstrate the growing importance of farm-to-school programs as a means to improve child nutrition, support local economies and educate children about the origins of food.

The National Farm to School Network has also developed resources and activities to promote Farm to School Month in schools, communities and media outlets. All of these tools are available on farmtoschool.org.

      

Here are some ways you can help us get the word out about Farm to School Month:

   • #F2SMonth - Use this hashtag in your social

Media Messages

   •@FarmtoSchool - follow on Twitter

   • Follow on Facebook

Learn more about the movement throughout October. They will be sharing stories and information on their blog about how farm to school is empowering children and their families to make informed food choices and contributing to their communities. 

The resource database is home to even more information and includes searchable tags for Farm to School Month as well as topics like farm to preschool, school gardens and procurement.

Celebrate National Farm to School Month

Many farm to school programs begin with a small activity generating interest and engages the whole community.

Organizations and Businesses
• Become an official Farm to School Month partner! Partners commit to using their communications channels to spread the word about Farm to School Month. Suggested messaging and weekly updates will be provided by NFSN. Contact: info@farmtoschool.org

   • Show your support for Farm to School Month by becoming an official sponsor! Contact: info@farmtoschool.org

Teachers

   • Plan nutrition education activities, such as Harvest of the Month, featuring a local food product that is in season.

   • Connect instructional school gardens and garden based learning activities to the curriculum.

   • Organize farm tours or trips to the local farmers’ market.

   • Send information about Farm to School Month to parents.

School food service professionals

   • Promote Farm to School Month on the school menu and in the cafeteria. Find logos, posters and more at farmtoschool.org

   • Do a taste test of local products or feature one item for lunch, breakfast or snacks.

   • Create a farm-to-school salad bar using local products.

Farmers

   • Connect with your local school and offer to conduct a classroom session during October or offer to host a visit to your farm.

   • Promote Farm to School Month on your farm or at your farmers’ market booth with posters and other materials, which can be downloaded or ordered from farmtoschool.org.

Families

   • Visit your local farmers’ market. Buy something you’ve never tried before, cook it and share with your family and friends.

   • Cook with seasonal products as much as possible. Find out what products are grown in your region and when. Most State Departments of Agriculture or Buy Fresh Buy Local chapters can provide you with a regional crop calendar.
   • Volunteer at your local school to support a school garden or classroom educational activity.

Resource:
To learn more, visit the National Farm to School website.

Back to School Nutrition Resource Guide Kids Eat Right Month

All over the country, children and parents are getting ready for the new school year to begin. With so much information about food and nutrition available on the Internet and in the news, Dietitians-Online has prepared the Back to School Nutrition Resource Guide.

Resources
Organizations, Associations, and Programs
School Nutrition Experts

Graphics

Lunchbox Safety
Planning School Meals Using MyPlate

Resources

Organizations, Associations, and Programs
	Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is your source for trustworthy, science-based food and nutrition information. The worlds largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, the Academy is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education, and advocacy.
	Kids Eat Right your source for scientifically-based health and nutrition information you can trust to help your child grow healthy. As a parent or caretaker, you need reliable resources and you can find them here, backed by the expertise of nutrition professionals.
	Home Food Safety Tips The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and ConAgra Foods public awareness campaign, Home Food Safety, is dedicated to providing home food safety statistics, information about foodborne illness and safe food handling information and tips.
	Choose MyPlate. The website features practical information and tips to help Americans build healthier diets.
	Vegetarian Resource Group Vegetarian Kids, Teens, and Family
	Action for Healthy Kids believes there are ways to reduce and prevent childhood obesity and undernourishment. Learn how Action for Healthy Kids is working with schools, families and communities to help our kids learn to be healthier and be ready to learn.
	Healthy Children The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and its member pediatricians dedicate their efforts and resources to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. Healthy Children - Nutrition Food Allergies in Children
	Team Nutrition Campaign launched by USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to encourage and teach children, parents, and caregivers to eat healthy and be physically active every day. Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ is about making America's children healthier. It's about practical suggestions that will help you motivate children and their caregivers  to eat healthy and be active. Eat  smart. Play Hard.™ Campaign messages and materials are fun for children and informative for caregivers.
	We Can The We Can! GO, SLOW, and WHOA Foods fact sheet (pdf) can be posted on the refrigerator or used when grocery shopping. The We Can! Parent Tips - Snack (pdf) 100 Calories or Less tip sheet can help consumers choose vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat (1 percent) milk for healthier snacks.
	Fruits and Veggies More Matters Gearing Up for Back to School
	National Dairy Council® (NDC)  Fuel Up To Play 60 sponsored by National Dairy Council and the National Football League, in collaboration with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school program that encourages the availability and consumption of nutrient-rich foods, along with at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity.
	The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential childcare institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.
	The School Breakfast Program (SBP) provides cash assistance to  States to operate nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and residential childcare institutions. The program is administered at the Federal level by FNS. State education agencies administer the SBP at the State level, and local school food authorities operate it in schools.

School Nutrition Experts

Dayle Hayes, MS, RD
School Meals That Rock (Facebook)

Dayle Hayes is an award-winning Registered Dietitian, author, and educator. Dayle developed a program for parents, FIT KIDS = HAPPY KIDS; created 5 A Day BINGO, and produced several videos. As a parent and member of the School Nutrition Association, Dayle is dedicated to improving school environments. She collected success stories for Making It Happen; wrote a chapter on communicating with students in Managing Child Nutrition Programs: Leadership for Excellence; and developed Enriching Family Mealtimes, a kit for school leaders and educators. In 2008, she co-authored the Position of the American Dietetic Association: Nutrition Guidance for Healthy Children Ages 2 to 11 Years.

Caroline, RD at Giant Eagle® 

Pack an A+ Lunch for School

Lunchbox Safety

Back to School Nutrition 2011-2012 Resource Guide

All over the country, children and parents are getting ready for the new school year to begin. With so much information about food and nutrition available on the Internet and in the news, Dietitians-Online has prepared the 2011-2012 Back to School Nutrition Resource Guide.

Resources
Organizations, Associations, and Programs
School Nutrition Experts, Articles, and Videos

Graphics

Lunchbox Safety
Planning School Lunches Using MyPlate

Back to School Foods

The skit starts out in the kitchen; the day before the first day of school. The parents have planned and prepared their child's lunch box using the MyPlate recommendations. The next scene is in the lunch room where the foods discuss the importance of eating healthy. When the Lunch box arrives back home, she reminds us to wash and clean the lunch box to remove any germs that came from school. After dinner, the lunch will be made for the next day. The Final slides show excellent Back to School Resources you can locate online and are listed below.

Resources

Organizations, Associations, and Programs
	American Dietetic Association is your source for trustworthy, science-based food and nutrition information. The worlds largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, ADA is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy.
	Kids Eat Right your source for scientifically-based health and nutrition information you can trust to help your child grow healthy. As a parent or caretaker you need reliable resources and you can find them here, backed by the expertise of nutrition professionals.
	Home Food Safety Tips The American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foods public awareness campaign, Home Food Safety, is dedicated to providing home food safety statistics, information about foodborne illness and safe food handling information and tips. Safe Lunch Guide
	Choose MyPlate.  The website features practical information and tips to help Americans build healthier diets.
	Let’s Move  is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years. Giving parents helpful information and fostering environments that support healthy choices. Providing healthier foods in our schools. Ensuring that every family has access to healthy, affordable food. And, helping children become more physically active.
	Choose MyPlate: Vegetarian Diet. Healthy Eating Tips for Vegetarians (pdf) Vegetarian diets can meet all the recommendations for nutrients. The key is to consume a variety of foods and the right amount of foods to meet your calorie needs. Nutrients that vegetarians may need to focus on include protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12
	Vegetarian Resource Group Vegetarian Kids, Teens, and Family
	Action for Healthy Kids, believe there are ways to reduce and prevent childhood obesity and undernourishment. Learn how Action for Healthy Kids is working with schools, families and communities to help our kids learn to be healthier and be ready to learn.
	Healthy Children  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and its member pediatricians dedicate their efforts and resources to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. Healthy Children - Nutrition Food Allergies in Children
	Team Nutrition 10 Tips Nutrition Education Series Menu Planner for Healthy School Meals Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ Materials. Campaign launched by USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to encourage and teach children, parents, and caregivers to eat healthy and be physically active every day. Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ is about making America's children healthier. It's about practical suggestions that will help you motivate children and their caregivers to eat healthy and be active. Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ Campaign messages and materials are fun for children and informative for caregivers. Building Blocks for Fun and Healthy Meals Fact Sheets For Healthier School Meals
	We Can The We Can! GO, SLOW, and WHOA Foods fact sheet (pdf) can be posted on the refrigerator or used when grocery shopping. The We Can! Parent Tips - Snack (pdf) 100 Calories or Less tip sheet can help consumers choose vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat (1 percent) milk for healthier snacks.
	Fruits and Veggies More Matters Gearing Up for Back to School
	National Dairy Council® (NDC) Child Nutrition Fuel Up To Play 60 sponsored by National Dairy Council and the National Football League, in collaboration with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school program that encourages the availability and consumption of nutrient-rich foods, along with at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity.
	The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.
	The School Breakfast Program (SBP) provides cash assistance to States to operate nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and residential childcare institutions. The program is administered at the Federal level by FNS. State education agencies administer the SBP at the State level, and local school food authorities operate it in schools.

  

School Nutrition Experts, Articles, and Videos

Dayle Hayes, MS, RD
Nutrition for the Future (Eat Well at School)

School Meals That Rock (Facebook)

Dayle Hayes is an award-winning Registered Dietitian, author, and educator. Dayle developed a program for parents, FIT KIDS = HAPPY KIDS; created 5 A Day BINGO; and produced several videos. As a parent and member of the School Nutrition Association, Dayle is dedicated to improving school environments. She collected success stories for Making It Happen; wrote a chapter on communicating with students in Managing Child Nutrition Programs: Leadership for Excellence; and developed Enriching Family Mealtimes, a kit for school leaders and educators. In 2008, she co-authored the Position of the American Dietetic Association: Nutrition Guidance for Healthy Children Ages 2 to 11 Years.

Building Healthy Lunches for Kids

Registered dietitian Angela Lemond gives tips on providing

healthy lunches for your kids this school year. 

Kids in School Yet??!! What to Pack for Lunch
Pamela Ofstein MS, RD, LDN

Healthy School Snacks, CSPI

Wondering What to Pack for School Lunches? Here are 15 healthier brown-bag lunch options now available in your supermarket. by Elaine Magee, MPH, RD

Back to School: Lunch Box Bootcamp Betsy Bingham Ramirez, M.Ed., RD

Feeding Vegan Kids by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Vegetarian Ideas – Creative Back to School Lunches by Kim Galeaz, RD CD 

Child Nutrition - Lunch Line Choices PSA

As an adult you are a role model for the children around you. Kids follow

 the lead of the adults they see everyday. So remember,

healthy choices start with you.

Priceless: School Lunch

"Priceless" launched the One Tray campaign depicting the

cafeteria tray as the conduit for a reformed school food system that

supports healthy children, local farms, and smart schools.

 

Students' Willingness to Purchase Vegan Menu Items in the National School Lunch Program

by Jill Eckart, BA, Kathryn A. Strong, MS, RD, Darlene K. Moppert, MS, RD, Neal D. Barnard, MD

From the Florida Public Health Review, 2010; 7, 64-69.
The significance of the study in determining if offering plant-based options as part of a comprehensive school wellness policy may encourage healthful eating patterns, and can complement the benefits of nutrition education and physical activity. Whereas more research is needed to assess the long-term effects of offering plant-based options in schools, providing these items appears to be feasible and beneficial in the short term.

Abstract
Offering plant-based options in school lunches may help schools meet U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrient standards by providing students with options that are low in fat and cholesterol-free. Research indicates that well planned vegetarian and vegan diets are appropriate for all ages and have certain health benefits; however, it is not clear whether students are willing to incorporate vegetarian foods into their diets. We assessed students’ willingness to purchase vegan menu items in school lunches and evaluate the nutrient profiles of vegan and nonvegan menu items offered. Vegan items were offered once per week for four weeks in elementary and middle school cafeterias located in a demographically diverse school district. Researchers tracked menu items sold, nutrients of menu items offered, and ease of vegan item preparation. Vegan options accounted for more than half of the average number of meals sold at each school on study days. Vegan menu items were lower in total fat, saturated fat, and energy and provided more dietary fiber compared with the competing foods. Food service managers indicated that vegan menu items were easy to prepare. Students are willing to purchase vegan options offered in the school lunch line. Offering vegan school lunches on a regular basis may help food service directors meet nutrient standards and improve child nutrition.

To view the full study click the following link: Vegan Menu Items in the National School Lunch Program.