School Meals Rock Nutrition Trends: Way Ahead on Whole Grains

Posted on May 20, 2013 by schoolmealsthatrock

According to the National Restaurant Association 2013 What’s Hot culinary forecast, Whole Grains in Kids Meals ranks number 10 in the Top Ten Trends for 2013 by American Culinary Federation. Child nutrition issues also hits the number 3 and 5 spots on the NRA list.

Child Nutrition hits 3 of 10 Top Trends for 2013

When it comes to whole grains, schools are really cooking on all burners and in ovens from coast-to-coast. From all the evidence I see, schools are way out in front of most restaurant meals when it comes to kid-appealing whole grains. While schools nutrition programs have been gradually adding more whole grains for years, the new USDA Meal Patterns mandated by the 2010 Healthy, Hungry-Free Kids Act for really accelerated the process, especially in the past two years. Just think of this – starting in July 2014, ALL grains served in school breakfast and lunch meals must be whole-grain rich.

An article in the May 2013 issue of the School Nutrition Association magazine highlights that creative and delicious ways that school nutrition professionals have responded to the challenge of adding whole grains to children’s meals. Several of my favorite school nutrition heroes are featured, including Doris Demers, the director in Oyster River, New Hampshire.

SNA Magazine , May 2013

My favorite example of Doris’s creativity with whole grains in this school lunch from January 2013. The Beef Stew (made with local grass-fed beef and local root vegetables) is served in a made-from-scratch mini-bread bowl. How cool is that!!

Oyster River, NH, Beef Stew, January 2013

I could go on-and-on-and-on with photos of whole grain pizza crusts, entrees served over brown rise and whole grain pasta, and salads made with quinoa, barley and other more “exotic” grains – so little space, so much whole grain goodness. However, it is also important to note that food manufacturers have also make a whole lot of changes to their school-focused products so that children are able to enjoy whole grains in foods they love, like waffles, sandwich buns, and pizza crust. Here are just two examples of the products that I saw while visiting Ohio schools last week.

Mini-waffles served for Breakfast in the Classroom, Reynoldsburg, OH

Beef Sliders served on whole grain buns from a local commercial bakery, Pinkerington, OH

I have to post one more example of whole grains from Douglas County School District in Colorado. Director Brent Craig and Chef Jason Morse are doing a great grain job, like this Roasted Veggie Pizza on a commercial whole grain crust with balsamic glaze. Like I said, schools a way out in front on this trend!!

Whole Grain Pizza from Douglas County, CO

School Meals Rock Nutrition Trends: Michigan Team Nutrition Feeds New Palates

Posted on May 15, 2013 by schoolmealsthatrock

What’s up next on School Meals That Rock? Trends, trends and more trends! I always look forward to the April issue of Food Technology magazine from the Institute of Food Technologists, where Contributing Editor, A. Elizabeth Sloan takes a perceptive and creative look at the top trends in food. In 2013, Sloan named the #1 trend “A Repositioned Palate,” highlighting how American’s are enjoying more complex flavor profiles and bolder flavors like as tangy, smoky, herbal, sour and bitter. She also notes how foodies are savoring their eating experiences defined by freshness and distinctive flavors.

April 2013, Food Technology Top Tend Trends

School nutrition programs all across the country reflect this trend with new flavors and new recipes, culinary boot camps and junior chef competitions. Michigan Team Nutrition and Chef Dave Mac have been at the forefront of this trend for years – offering chef trainings, quantity cookbooks and even a YouTube recipe channel. Chef Dave knows a lot about combining flavor and nutrition on a school nutrition budget with recipes like Sweet Thai Chili Chicken, Turkey Florentine Wrap and Whole Grain Fiesta Rice.

Layers of flavor and nutrition in a kid-approved menu

The good news is that you can access the Michigan Team Resources and use them in your own program:

The Whole Enchilada, Holland Chef Showcase

Student chef makes Michigan salads with dried cherries, of course!

School Meals Rock Nutrition Trends: Florida Chefs Put on “The Ritz”

Posted on May 14, 2013 by schoolmealsthatrock

What’s up next on School Meals That Rock? Trends, trends and more trends! I recently gave presentations in Michigan and Rhode Island on trends in food and nutrition using School Nutrition as examples. Over the next two weeks (or so), we’re going to explore the trends and share photos of school examples. Hope you’ll check in regularly to find out what is rockin’ in school meals!

According to the National Restaurant Association 2013 What’s Hot culinary forecast, Healthful Kids Meals rank number 3 in the Top Ten Trends for 2013 by both American Culinary Federation chefs and fast food operators. Child nutrition also hits the number 5 and 10 spots on the NRA list.

Child Nutrition hits 3 of 10 Top Trends for 2013

Thanks to a pilot Chefs Move to Schools program the Nassau County (FL) Schools are hitting multiple trends out of the park with help from Executive Chef Thomas Tolxdorf and his culinary team from The Ritz Carlton, Amelia Island. More than 800 students from Nassau District Schools’ Fernandina Beach High School recently enjoyed a lunch that was healthful, included whole grains, and featured locally grown produce. Some lucky students even got in on the cooking action!

(Left to right) Thomas Tolxdorf, executive chef of The Ritz Carlton, Amelia Island, Amari Forrest, Fernandina Beach High School (FBHS) student, Allyn Graves, director of school food service of Nassau County School Board, Bishop Richards, FBHS student, Laura Perkins, FBHS student, Michael Gass, chef and culinary teacher at FBHS and Glenn Wright, chef at The Ritz Carlton, Amelia Island.

The menu included whole grain pasta with fresh tomato sauce with the option of Italian turkey sausage; a side of fresh spring vegetables tossed with olive oil and herbs, fresh green salad, homemade rolls and whole-wheat low-fat oatmeal cookies. Now, that’s a lunch I would gladly eat myself!

“We are excited about Executive Chef Tolxdorf and his team’s interest in partnering with
us and preparing such a meal for our students. We look forward to expanding this initiative into more schools next year and working directly with our food managers,” said Allyn Graves, director of school food services for Nassau District Schools. Nassau District Schools’ Food Service serves more than 1,600,000 meals and snacks each year – all meeting USDA’s strict nutritional requirements each year. Many meals include fresh produce from local farms in a 150 mile radius of the district. The department has received the prestigious Florida Healthy School District Silver level honor from the Coordinated School Health Partnership and is a cosponsor for Florida Action for Healthy Kids.

Nassau County (FL) Schools feature local produce

Guest Chefs and students prepare fresh lunch in Fernandina Beach High School

Smart Snacks for Schools: We All Have Homework to Do for Kids’ Health

Posted on March 24, 2013 by schoolmealsthatrock

On February 1, 2013, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the long-anticipated proposed rule on competitive foods in schools, now known as Smart Snacks in Schools. Published in the Federal Register on February 8^th, the rule is now open for a mandatory 60-day public comment period, which closes on April 9, 2013. The overall reaction has been positive, although many folks are probably still trying to digest the details of the 160-page document.

Changes in allowed snacks according to USDA

If your schedule does not permit a long read, several good summaries are available online. There is a very readable Q-and-A format in USDA Summary, excellent materials from a webinar by USDA and Food Research Action Center (FRAC), and the School Nutrition Association page with links and member-only comment section. The more you read, the more you’ll know. What follows is my personal, big picture reaction to the proposal and what it will really mean in local schools.

THE GOOD NEWS

There’s lots of good news in the proposed rule, starting with more fruits, veggies, low-fat dairy foods, whole grains, and lean proteins. Anyone who cares about kids’ health knows that there is still plenty of room for improvement in the options that kids have outside of school meals covered by USDA’s 2012 Nutrition Standards. Other positive aspects of Smart Snacks in Schools:

USDA proposed an extended implementation timeline and invited comments on several options rather than outlining a single course of action.
Based on experience with existing standards, especially the 5,000+ HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) winners and Alliance for a Healthier Generation (AHG) districts, the proposed rule is realistic and can benefit kids’ health.

THE REALITY CHECK

While Smart Snacks in Schools represents another significant step toward creating healthy school nutrition environments, it’s also important to note what it does not do. It does not cover foods brought from home, foods for classroom parties or any foods sold after regular school hours (athletic events, after-school fundraisers, etc.).

In fact, most of the effect from this rule will be seen in cafeteria a la carte lines, as well as on some vending and fundraisers held during school hours.
Compliance and monitoring will an issue outside of cafeterias; school nutrition programs know how to do the required record keeping, but it is not clear who can – or even wants to – be effective as “food police” in the wider school campus.

Students enjoy smart snacks in Ellensburg, Washington, thanks to Fuel Up To Play 60 Program

Students enjoy smart snacks in Ellensburg, Washington, school cafeteria – with support from Fuel Up To Play 60 Program

OUR HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS

Last October, after the 2012 Nutrition Standards for School Lunch went into effect, Jane Brody wrote “There’s Homework to Do on School Lunches” in the New York Times. Her basic premise was that the federal regulations and standards are just the beginning – and that homes and schools also have work at improving how children eat. I believe the same is true for this issue.

To build strong bodies and smart brains, children also need smart snacks at home, smart snacks brought from home to school, and smart snacks served in concession stands at sporting events. A healthy school nutrition environment will take more than new regulations – it will require a culture of wellness. To create that culture will require us all to do some additional homework: Making comments on the proposed rule at eRulemaking Portal (on or before April 9, 2013) is a good first step. (Select Food and Nutrition Services from the agency drop-down menu and, in the docket ID column of the search results, select FNS-2011-0019.)

If we care about smart snacks at school, here’s what I believe we all need to do:

Support a culture of wellness in your local district, for example, by serving a School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) or helping with a HUSSC application.
Use smart strategies to inspire, motivate and educate everyone in schools about smart snacks for reasons they care about, because not everyone is focused on childhood obesity:
- Make smart snacks about fun and great taste for kids.
- Make smart snacks about fitness and sports success for coaches, athletes and boosters clubs.
- - Make smart snacks about learning and behavior for classroom teachers and administrators.
  - Make smart snacks about successful fundraisers that make money for clubs and organizations.
  - Make smart snacks the cool thing to do at school rather than something that the government is making us do!!
- Fruit Snack sold at West High Track Meet concessions in Billings, Montana

SUPER Breakfast, SUPER Oatmeal, SUPER BOWL Challenge

Posted on November 5, 2012 by schoolmealsthatrock

For the first time ever SCHOOL MEALS THAT ROCK is offering some SUPER PRIZES – for your participation in FUEL UP TO PLAY 60 SUPER BOWL BREAKFAST CHALLENGE.

From November 5th through December 3rd, you will have the chance to win one of FOUR $50 GIFTS CARDS from the NFL Gift Shop. All you have to do is check the weekly questions on FACEBOOK School Meals That Rock and post your answers – and, of course, get your school excited about entering the FUEL UP TO PLAY 60 SUPER BOWL BREAKFAST CHALLENGE. Rules for entering the challenge are pasted below and on the FUTP60 website.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN WIN A $50 GIFT CARD:

Respond to this blog post with a BREAKFAST or OATMEAL comment … or post a BREAKFAST or OATMEAL comment on FACEBOOK: School Meals That Rock or on Twitter @SchoolMealsRock.
Every week, a winner will be drawn randomly from all those who post an answer to the weekly question.
You may post as many different answers as you like on FACEBOOK: School Meals That Rock or on Twitter @SchoolMealsRock.
Winners of the gift cards – and a selection of answers – will be posted here throughout the month of November, along with FUEL UP TO PLAY 60 resources and success stories.

This week’s questions is a simple, but critical, one:

In your own words (25 or less), why is OATMEAL an awesome breakfast food for students and teachers?

NOTE: The gift card give-away is sponsored by FUTP60, a partnership of the NFL and National Dairy Council Although I do consulting work for National Dairy Council (and dairy affiliates across the US), I am not receiving any compensation for participating in this contest.

Students enjoy oatmeal breakfast bar at a FUTP60 Youth Summit

Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, and it can be the most fun, too! How do you want to fuel up your school with oatmeal? Propose your big idea for an awesome breakfast event at school, and your school could win big…SUPER BOWL big. If you are selected as one of the TWO national winners, you get a VIP, all-expenses paid trip to Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans! Your school will also get to turn their idea into a reality! So, what are you waiting for? Show us how you want to enjoy oatmeal at your school! Tips for creating a ‘Super Bowl’ worthy submission:

1. Design a fun proposal. You can use one of the templates provided to describe your suggested breakfast event. Photos and drawings are optional. You can also submit a video or digital recording of your proposal. Your event doesn’t have to occur in order to be eligible for the prize – we’re just looking for great ideas!

2. Request an Oatmeal Starter Kit. To get you excited for the challenge, we’re giving away free oatmeal! Ask your Program Advisor or Teacher to request a kit for your school. Supplies are limited, so hurry!

3. Be creative. If you need suggested ideas for oatmeal events, your school could do: a recipe cook-off, taste-test, or a breakfast club. Think big and have fun – the options are endless. You could have a toppings bar, or add food color for your favorite NFL team! You can get bonus points for NFL flair!

4. Get to work! Use the templates provided or grab a digital camera/video recorder and show us how your school wants to enjoy oatmeal to start the day.

5. Keep it clean. Make sure there is no swearing, violence or other inappropriate behavior featured in your submission.

6. Be original. If you want to include music in your submission, don’t use music, videos or pictures that belong to someone else. If you could hear it on the radio or see it on TV, it can’t be used in your submission.

7. Watch the clock. Try to keep your entry short and sweet!

8. Promote the program. Wear Fuel Up to Play 60 gear or show us your inspirational posters or other Fuel Up to Play 60 materials hanging in your classroom.

9. Be descriptive. Include a description with your entry, letting us know why you think it completes the Challenge.

10. Be on time! Don’t want until the last minute to send in your Challenge entry! Be sure to get your entry completed and uploaded online as soon as you get it done. This ensures you will be in the running for the national prizes and exclusive digital rewards!

Good luck, fuel up and get moving! And remember, we’re giving away tickets to Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans and the chance to turn your idea into a reality!

YUMMMMMMY … it’s oatmeal for breakfast!!

Food Insecurity: A Real Reason Kids May be Hungry at School – and What We Can Do About It: Part 3 of 3

Posted on October 21, 2012 by schoolmealsthatrock

For millions of American children, school lunch is often their best – and sometimes – only real meal of the day. According to Feeding America, 16.7 million children lived in food insecure households in 2011. The numbers can tell the scope, but the not very painful effects of food insecurity for children.

School nutrition professionals know that Mondays and Fridays are often the worst days of the week for food insecure children. On Monday morning, many children really are “starving” after a weekend without enough food to fill their stomachs well. At school breakfast on Monday morning, children can seem insatiable and want more than one serving. How would you feel after a weekend without enough to eat?

On Friday’s school lunch, food insecure children may tend to overeat and/or to hoard food that they can scavenge from other student’s trays. This not bad behavior or a hunger game. It is a very real and natural response to being deprived of food. It is the body’s response to being chronically underfed, as documented in Ansel Keyes classic study of starvation in healthy young men.

Middle school students wait for breakfast in Billings, Montana

We do not completely understand the complex interactions of food insecurity, obesity and undernutrition, especially in their effect on children. The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) offers an excellent summary of the key factors that make low-income and food insecure families more vulnerable to overweight and obesity, including:

Cycles of food deprivation and overeating
Lack of access to healthy, affordable foods
Fewer opportunities for physical activity
High levels of stress
Limited access to health care

While we have a national discussion about the merits of the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act and the the 2012 Nutrition Standards for School Meals, we must never forget those students who are truly hungry – not just YouTube sensations because they didn’t approve of their new food options in the cafeteria. Whether you call it childhood hunger or family food insecurity, this is a real and tragic problem in our country.

In terms of what we can do, there is no better role model than Senator George McGovern, who passed away today after a decades of public service. We can each look around our own communities and ask a simple question: What is the most effective thing that I can do to end hunger?

With gratitude for your decades of service

Delicious Celebrations of School Nutrition Success: Farm-2-School + National School Lunch Week

Posted on October 19, 2012 by schoolmealsthatrock

Schools are doing truly incredible things to serve local, fresh – and yes, organic – foods that kids love to eat. To see super salad bars, hyper-local apples (grown five miles from school!), and a lunch with Sautéd Cabbage that students devoured, please visit School Meals That Rock on Facebook. This gorgeous tray from the award-winning Portland (OR) Public Schools is just a tiny taste of the delicious school feast that you can see there. Everything on this tray in OREGON GROWN – and the pear is ORGANIC!! Please take a tour School Meals That Rock and see the amazing food that is loving prepared and served by America’s School Nutrition HEROES!!

Whole Wheat Pizza, cauliflower, organic pear and low-fat milk ALL from Oregon, served in Portland Public Schools to celebrate HealthierUS School Challenge Awards

Some Very Real Reasons Why Kids May Be Hungry at School – and What We Can Do About It: Part 2 of 3

Posted on October 5, 2012 by schoolmealsthatrock

As discussed in Part 1, there are several reasons why students may be hungry after lunch at school. First, skipping breakfast means that some students are over-hungry and hard to fill up at lunch. Secondly, the typical recess-after-lunch schedule often means that kids rush through their meal in order to get out of the cafeteria and play.

There are simple solutions to these issues: Offering breakfast at school and scheduling recess before lunch are two easy, proven ways to improve both nutrition and performance in the classroom. The third reason for hungry kids may take a bit more effort to solve, but we must take it seriously if we want students to be fit, healthy and ready to succeed.

Reason #3: School cafeterias are often, loud, crowded and rushed.

SOLUTION: Comfortable cafeterias that are positive, pleasant places to eat

Too many cafeterias are run like juvenile detention facilities rather than welcoming cafes. Adults patrol the aisles telling children to be quiet and eat up quickly. The mentality is “herd-‘em-in, herd-’em-out” – or “eat it and beat it” – not a productive way to optimize children’s nutrition, especially when expecting them to eat new foods.

Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Fresh Fish Taco Tray

Child health experts agree that students need adequate lunchtimes to get the benefits of school meals. Middle school students in New Jersey and Minneapolis have recently made news by bringing attention to the simple facts: Kids need time to eat and to socialize with their friends. When they are rushed, they may throw away foods that take more time to eat, like whole fruits.

According to a 2004 National Food Service Management Institute publication, lunch intake for elementary students was better when they had recess before lunch and a longer lunch period. When the lunch period time was 30 minutes versus 20 minutes, elementary students:

Eat 21 percent more food by weight.
Waste 40 percent less food by weight.
Consume 16 percent more calories.
Consume 56 percent more calcium.

In some cafeterias today, scchool nutrition directors report that children are still eating off their trays while being herded out of the cafeteria. Making school cafeterias positive places to enjoy meals and classrooms for smart eating is another key to reducing complaints about hungry children. Mealtime should be a:

Time to relax and socialize, while nourishing bodies and minds
Chance to fill nutrient gaps and refuel for afternoon classes
Learning lab for healthy eating habits and acceptable mealtime behaviors

Renaissance High School, Meridian, Idaho, Cafeteria

A calm, comfortable cafeteria does not happen by accident. Like any other important aspect of a successful school, it requires effective teamwork and communication among administrators, teachers, aides, food service, students, and parents. Montana Team Nutrition has information and materials for creating positive, pleasant mealtimes in schools and childcare, based on Ellyn Satter’s Division of responsibility in feeding.

The smartest schools have instituted programs that encourage students to try new foods and get more adults into cafeterias to help provide positive role models. Middle school students in Pawtucket (RI) now act as fruit and vegetable ambassadors and a long-running successful Food Coach Program in Hopkins (MA) trains parents and other adults to make a difference in the cafeteria.

James John Elementary, Portland Oregon, Teaches Cafeteria Manners

Some Very Real Reasons Why Kids May Be Hungry at School – and What We Can Do About It: Part 1 of 3

Posted on October 1, 2012 by schoolmealsthatrock

I’ve watched the videos from the hungry teen athletes in Kansas and Jon Stewart’s amusing Starved By the Bell segment. I’ve read about the boycotts and heard dedicated school nutrition professionals talk seriously about getting their high schools out of the National School Lunch Program.

I’m very sorry that meals for kids at school are once again fodder for YouTube videos and late night TV. I’m even sorrier that school nutrition has become a political football like so many other issues. I am sorriest for the thousands of school nutrition heroes who have been trying to make the 2012 USDA Nutrition Standards work and the millions of low-income children who reply on schools cafeterias to provide their best meals of the day.

There are some very real reasons why students, especially teens, may be hungry during the school day. If everyone focused on finding real solutions, we could work together to benefit all students – improving their nutrition, health and academic performance. Here are two of the very real reasons that kids may be hungry at school – stay tuned for more reasons in parts 2 and 3.

Greek Pizza with hummus on whole grain crust, Johnston, Rhode Island, High School

Reason #1: Kids, especially teens, are hungry because they don’t eat breakfast.

SOLUTION: Breakfast every day for every student

According to the 2011 Kellogg’ Breakfast in America Survey, breakfast eating dips as kids grow older; 77 percent of young children eat breakfast every day, but this falls to 50 percent in the middle-school years and 36 percent among high school students. If you don’t eat breakfast, the new calorie ranges may not be enough to be both a breakfast and a lunch. And, more importantly, you will have found it hard (if not impossible) to concentrate and learn in your morning classes.

Schools need breakfast programs that are convenient for kids and practical for school food service. There are lots of successful models: Grab-and-Go breakfast options, like new kiosks planned for Medford (MA) schools, breakfast in the classroom being successfully implemented in districts coast to coast, and cafeteria breakfast bars with made-to-order breakfast burritos, as seen in my hometown of Billings, Montana.

Made-to-Order, Breakfast Burrito Bar, Senior High School, Billings, Montana

Reason #2: Most school schedule recess after lunch, so kids rush to get outside.

SOLUTION: Recess Before lunch

When kids are eager for recess, they often dump hunger-satisfying foods into the trash. It’s only nutrition WHEN they eat or drink, so we should maximize scheduling to get the food into the kids. Honestly, it’s not rocket science that children would be hungrier and thirstier when they have the chance to play first – and that exactly what schools report according to Starving for Recess, a 2011 District Administration article.

Scheduling Recess Before Lunch (RBL) isn’t rocket-science either and there are plenty of resources from Montana Team Nutrition to help schools with the process. RBL can even save money since many schools report significant decreases in garbage removal costs when students are active first, eating more food and drinking more milk afterward.

Recess Before Lunch Guide, Montana Team Nutrition (2008)

True School Nutrition HEROES: Excellence Beyond the Regulations

Posted on September 14, 2012 by schoolmealsthatrock

There’s been lots of talk recently about how The School Day Just Got Healthier with USDA’s Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs that went into effect on July 1, 2012. Media stories abound with a generally positive tone – although many reporters wonder if students will actually eat the healthier options. I wrote about the new guidelines right here on August 24 in USDA New-trition Guidelines for School Meals: Business as usual – and a whole new ballgame.

Fortunately for students, teachers, families, farmers and ranchers, some of the best news in school nutrition has nothing to do with the regulations! Incredibly positive things are happening in kitchens, cafeterias, and schoolyards from coast-to-coast – thanks to dedicated and visionary school nutrition heroes. Sometimes they make the headlines, but often as not, they labor quietly in their districts without attracting much fanfare or hoopla.

Here’s a taste of truly delicious news from four districts on the frontiers of school nutrition excellence. Literally spread from coast-to-coast, these districts are focused on serving the freshest, best tasting meals to students in the most positive, pleasant atmosphere possible. This is what we need — to get nutrient-rich food into kids; it is only nutrition WHEN they eat or drink it!

More school cafeteria makeovers

The typical noisy school cafeteria – with an “eat it and beat it” environment – is not conducive to trying new foods or enjoying a balanced meal. Cafeteria renovations, like those in Palm Beach County, Florida, often focus on creating a trendy café atmosphere. At McKay Elementary School in Beaverton, Oregon – with support from anOregon Dairy Council Fuel Up To Play 60 grant, the school nutrition program went a step farther, making their cafeteria decorations match their nutrition marketing and education efforts, to help students “Eat a Rainbow.”

More school garden produce served in cafeterias

In some areas, school gardens are becoming almost the norm. New Jersey could be called the “School Garden State” with more than 242 schools growing vegetables and fruits for nutrition and/or education. Denver Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services, with support from urban agricultural groups, has taken school gardening to a whole new level. As recently announced on their Facebook page: “I am extremely proud to announce our 2012 Garden To Cafeteria schools! DPS Food and Nutrition Services will be purchasing produce from the 21 school gardens listed. Your students will then see that produce in their lunchroom salad bars! “ Now that is hyper-local!

More chefs in school kitchens

Thanks to First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Initiative, Chefs Move to Schools, founded in May 2010, has meant a real upgrade in the culinary skills of school nutrition professionals. Chefs provide culinary boot camps for school cooks in several states and encourage “junior chefs” through many school assembly programs, like the one with Chef Virginia Willis in Marietta, Georgia. In Maplewood Richmond Heights School District (MO), Chef Robert Rusan has truly set a higher bar for school food. It’s hard to describe the comprehensiveness of the MRHS Healthy Foods program in a short paragraph. Just imagine a school nutrition program that makes its own fresh mozzarella cheese, builds an outdoor pizza oven, and harvests aqua-ponic lettuce.

More student involvement in school nutrition

While all the schools described so far involved students to some degree, Slater Jr. High School in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and Foodservice Director Solange Morrisette, have kicked it up a notch with their Fruit and Vegetable Ambassador program. According to the USDA blog post, “the students came up with several fun ways to get their peers excited about eating fruits and vegetables. These ideas included the fruit and veggie taste testing, a fruit and veggie eating contest, a cafeteria remodel, and creating rap songs about healthy eating.” In this photo, guest farmer Shelly Pezza taught the future ambassadors about the benefits of eating local produce – which will soon show up on their salad bars.

Dayle Hayes, MS, RD (Registered Dietitian), is Past-Chair of the School Nutrition Services Dietetic Practice Group (DPG) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She helps agencies and organizations create healthier school environments across the country. You can follow her onFacebook and Twitter, and read in-depth analysis of school issues on her blog School Meals That Rock.

School Meals That Rock

Helping school nutrition programs serve kids well

Tag Archives: child nutrition