WEB TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS

Transcription

1 WEB TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS Resources Right at Your Fingertips School Nutrition Association (SNA) ( The School Nutrition Association is a national organization that promotes healthy school meals and nutrition programs throughout the United States. Their site provides resources to help educate students on nutrition, to run and promote school nutrition programs, and to prepare school meals as well as information on handling food allergies and research within the school nutrition industry. USDA lunch and breakfast validation review checklists for the school year are also available at USDA: School Meals - The School Meals section of the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) website provides school meal regulations, rules for school meals to follow and the year they were implemented. It also provides access to information on USDA programs involved with schools. Kids with Food Allergies Foundation - The Kids with Food Allergies Foundation is a program that helps families and schools deal with dietary restrictions and provides education about food allergies. The site provides food allergy management information, label reading guides, food substitution information, and searchable recipes. USDA: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) - FNS provides food assistance programs and nutrition education to children and needy families. The site describes the programs and services they provide, (such as the National School Lunch program, the School Breakfast program, the Special Milk Program, the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Eat Smart Play Hard, and Team Nutrition), USDA regulations and policies, and nutrition education resources. Alliance for a Healthier Generation - The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is a program that works to reduce childhood obesity and has a program dedicated to schools called Healthy Schools Program. The site provides a resource database, webinars, policies, and a product navigator that helps find approved products for schools to use. National Food Service Management Institute - The National Food Service Management Institute offers education and training resources for school nutrition directors/supervisors, managers, and food service assistants/technicians. The site provides webinars, USDA recipes for schools, and training for school nutrition programs. Farm to School - Farm to School is a program that focuses on using healthy foods in schools that come from local farms. The site provides information on Farm to School programs throughout the United States as well as resources, webinars, and policies. Kids Eat Right - Kids Eat right provides a wide range of scientifically-based health and nutrition information that is individualized to the following categories; baby, toddler, preschooler, grade-schooler, and teen. Within each age group, articles are provided on various topics such as meal planning, health concerns, nutritional guidelines, supplements, sports nutrition, energy balance, etc. Page 1 Page 1

2 Meatless Mondays - Meatless Monday is a non-profit program that provides information and recipes to help create healthy, environmentally friendly meatless alternatives for school menus. The site provides informational articles, several recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and desserts, and a tool kit to get started with the program that includes downloadable posters and graphics. The Vegetarian Resource Group - The Vegetarian Resource Group is an organization that works to educate the public on health related issues concerning vegetarianism and veganism. The site provides several articles and recipes focused on school foodservice for vegetarians. Vegetarian Nutrition - vegetariannutrition.net/ PLACE PHOTO HERE, Vegetarian Nutrition is a site sponsored by the Vegetarian Nutrition OTHERWISE Dietetic Practice DELETE Group of BOX the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The site provides information on raising vegetarian children and teens. Kids Gardening - Kids Gardening, a resource of the National Gardening Association, is a program that works to promote home, school, and community gardening, and helps make connections between people, plants, and the environment. The site provides links for school gardening, classroom project and activity ideas, how-to guides, and grant and fundraising information. UC Davis Center for Nutrition in Schools (CNS) cns.ucdavis.edu/ The Center for Nutrition in Schools was created to provide nutrition education resources for teachers and administrators. The site provides curriculum requirements, nutrition information sheets (designed to provide in-depth information on nutrition topics), garden-based learning information and resources, and information on training opportunities. Nourish Interactive - Nourish Interactive is a web-based organization dedicated to providing information to help educate children about the importance of nutrition and exercise. The site provides free interactive games and tools that promote a healthier lifestyle, lesson plans to go along with each game, printable nutrition worksheets, and printable handouts to send home for parents. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction - dpi.wi.gov/fns/ The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is a state agency that advances public education. Their site offers information on the Wisconsin Child Nutrition Programs, menus and recipe ideas, and training opportunities. For information specific to your state, check out your state s Department of Education, State Board of Education, or Department of Public Instruction website. ChooseMyPlate.gov ChooseMyPlate.gov is a resource of the USDA that many audiences can use, such as educators and children. The site provides numerous resources including printable handouts, sample recipes and menus, and food group information. 2 Page 2

3 Minnesota Department of Health - The Minnesota Department of Health has a mission to protect, maintain, and improve the health of state residents. The site provides areas to learn about dietary recommendations, health improvement initiatives, and how to implement wellness policies. The menu planning section, available at provides a sample cycle menu simple scratch recipes, a Minnesota-grown farmer database, and Farm to School assessment tool and toolkit. Produce For Better Health Foundation - Produce For Better Health Foundation strives to achieve increased daily consumption of fruits and vegetables among all populations. The site provides activity ideas, lesson plans, and tip sheets for educators and foodservice staff among many other resources. Check out their quick pdf Online Resources for Schools guide at Let s Move: Salad Bars to Schools saladbars2schools.org/ Let s Move: Salad Bars to Schools works to promote salad bars in schools nationwide. The website provides information on grants, public initiatives, and the benefits of having salad bars in schools. Fuel Up to Play Fuel Up to Play 60 was designed to help students eat healthy and stay active. It is sponsored by the National Dairy Council and the National Football League in collaboration with the USDA and provides information on program involvement, funding opportunities, a playbook for physical activity and healthy eating, nutrition education materials, training opportunities for school professionals, and ways for youth to get involved. Grants.gov grants.gov Grants.gov provides access to over 1,000 grant programs and approximately $500 billion in annual awards from 26 federal grant-making agencies. Search for available grants by category, agency, or keyword. Dole SuperKids - Dole SuperKids is an interactive site featuring nutrition games, music, comics, and videos. The site also provides recipes, lesson plans, and toolkits for educators. Dannon Institute: Nutrition for Health - The Children s Nutrition Education section of the Dannon Institute provides access to lesson plans, kidfriendly recipes, activity ideas for educators and parents, and tools for school wellness. There are also numerous training opportunities for staff including case studies, how-to-guides, editorials, and even a CEU opportunity for SNA members. School Nutrition Services Dietetics Practice Group - The School Nutrition Services Dietetics Practice Group site provides information on legislature and public policies, position papers, and a quarterly newsletter. The website also features a resource page available at which provides resources for food safety, nutrition education, recipes, commodities, gardening, and more. 3 Page 3

4 The Healthy Meals Resource System - healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/ For menu planning, this site offers information on sodium reduction, whole grains, commodities, fruits, vegetables, and much more. Check out the Nutrition Standards for School Meals section of the Menu Planning page to train staff on the new school meal regulations and see sample cycle menus based on these regulations. Many other resources are available via this site including a recipe database, an area for schools and states to share tools they use to serve healthy meals meeting school meal regulations, online training opportunities, and resource libraries. Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) frac.org/federal-foodnutrition-programs/school-breakfast-and-lunch/ This site provides information on the new school meal nutrition standards and addresses student eligibility requirements for free and reduced meals in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs (NSLP & NSBP). Planning tools and information about these programs and other federal programs such as Afterschool Nutrition Programs, Summer Nutrition Programs, and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program are also available via this site. Nutrition Standards for School Meals The Nutrition Standards for School Meals page of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) website provides resources on the new school meal regulations, technical assistance, and guidance materials. Among the materials available are a one week sample menu, comparing an old elementary school menu against one based on the new school meal regulations, and worksheets to help school nutrition professionals develop and implement menus based on the new regulations. The sample menu can be accessed directly via or Midwest Dairy Association - Tools available on this site include nutrition and education materials, ideas for promoting cafeterias, and dairy fact sheets. The site also provides a list of Helpful Schools & Community Links available at Chefs Move to Schools The Chef s Move to Schools program was founded in May 2010 and is a part of the national Let s Move campaign. The site allows schools and chefs the opportunity to register for the program so matches can be made between a school and a chef. It also includes current success and news stories. My Healthy School School foodservice professionals, teachers, parents, and administrators can learn more about food allergies, locally grown and organic foods, school gardening, and wellness on this site. It also provides recipes, one week sample menus, classroom activity ideas, and links to other resources geared toward keeping children healthy. 4 Page 4

5 School Nutrition Magazine - mydigimag.rrd.com/publication/?i=93141 The School Nutrition magazine, available online, features the latest school nutrition information and resources to operate a successful school foodservice program. The 2012 December issue is featured, and an archive of previous additions is also available. Tray Talk Tray Talk is a site brought to you by the School Nutrition Association which addresses Hot Topics in school nutrition, information about healthy school meals, and how parents can get involved and support healthy school meals. Smarter Lunchrooms Movement - smarterlunchrooms.org/ The Smarter Lunchrooms Movement strives to equip school lunchrooms with evidence-based tools to improve child eating habits and health. Tools available on the site take into account limited budgets and include short video tips, best practice tips, news articles, and a SNA accredited course on Creating Smarter Lunchrooms. Fight Bac! - fightbac.org/ Fight Bac! is a campaign of the Partnership for Food Safety Education to end illness and death from foodborne infections in the United States. Downloadable materials in English and Spanish, curriculum materials for grades K-12, links to educational sites for children, and information on safe food handling and foodborne illness are available on this site. SuperKids Nutrition - This site provides resources that include articles and videos on nutrition topics like school nutrition, fruits and vegetables, fitness and wellness, and meal and snack tips which can be used by educators, school nutrition professionals, dietitians, parents, and many others. The Nutrition Education section under the Tools and Resources section available at provides lesson plans and links to other websites that are designed to improve children s health. Illinois Nutrition Education and Training Program (ilnet) - This site offers free webinar trainings for school staff on topics such as school wellness, school food programs, gardening, and more. It provides access to a one week sample menu that was revised to meet the new school meal regulations, which is available at Also, the site provides information on national grant opportunities and various nutrition resources such as lesson plans, toolkits, activities, and recipes which school foodservice staff, educators, parents, and children can use. 5 Page 5

6 USDA: Food Buying Guide - The Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs page of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) website provides links to view or print the entire Food Buying Guide. This guide presents all of the current information needed for Child Nutrition Programs including an updated Vegetable/Fruit section for School Meal Programs and information on Meat/Meat Alternates, Grains/Breads, Milk, and Other Foods. A link to the Food Buying Guide Calculator for Child Nutrition Programs is also accessible via this site. National Foodservice Management Institute: New Meal Pattern - nfsmi.org/resourceoverview.aspx?id=425 The New Meal Pattern page of the National Foodservice Management Institute website is a training resource that focuses on Food-Based Menu Planning (FBMP) required for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). The site provides links to download a trainer s script, participant handouts, a PowerPoint presentation, and mock training recipes. Colorado Department of Education (CDE) New Meal Patterns Training Information and Resources - The New Meal Patterns section of the CDE website has access to handouts school nutrition professionals can use when planning menus based on the new school meal patterns. These handouts include a menu checklist, cycle menu templates, and vegetable subgroup information. A PowerPoint presentation that CDE developed and used for training on the New Meal Patterns is also available. Oregon Department of Education New Meal Pattern Webinar Training - Webinars and corresponding handouts that can be used for training on the new school meal patterns are available via this site. Topics addressed include Offer verses Serve (OVS), grains, vegetables, fruits, meat/meat alternates, milk, and menu certification. Iowa Department of Education School Nutrition Standard s educateiowa.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2595&itemid=4678 This site offers many resources that can be used to implement the new school meal requirements into child nutrition programs. Menu planning tools to determine if school nutrition standards are being met, a sample menu, sample communication letters, and webcasts on fruits, vegetables, grains, meat alternates, milk, and Offer verses Serve (OVS) are among the resources available on this site. The sample menus can be found via 6 Page 6

7 National Dairy Council - The National Dairy Council site provides information on menu planning, flavored milk, child nutrition and wellness, snack ideas, and the importance of daily dairy consumption. Sample menus using USDA recipes or products and their nutrient analyses are provided directly at Kansas Department of Education The Kansas Department of Education provides information on federal regulations, reimbursable meals, food insecurity, food safety, and menu planning. Sample lunch and breakfast menus with weekly nutrient analyses, recipes, production records, sample purchasing guides and diet modification information is available directly on the Healthier Kansas Menus page at Fresh for Florida Kids - This site from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services provides outreach and educational materials on the new school meal patterns, planning menus, meeting special food and nutrition needs, and gardening. The New Meal Pattern & Quick Tips guide simply breaks down how each food group requirement can be met as well as reminders on food safety and preparation tips. Sample breakfast and lunch menus with nutrition analyses based on the new school meal patterns are available for all three school levels at The Culinary Institute of America - healthykids.ciachef.edu/directors/resources.html#menus The Helpful Resources for Foodservice Directors page of the Culinary Institute of America site provides links to resources that can help improve school meals. These resources are divided into categories including wellness, menu and nutrition, recipes, programs/grants, training, and equipment. The site also provides separate pages designated to teachers, parents and children, and industry which provide information and resources pertaining to each group. Advance Pierre Foods K Advanced Pierre Foods K-12 provides a sample 4 week cycle menu for grades K-8 that can be used as a guide to meet the new school meal requirements. The website also features a recipe section featuring ideas for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. The National Academics Press - books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12751&page=331 This site provides sample breakfast and lunch menus for the three different school levels. A menu checking tool prototype is also available, which provides areas to record the amount of calories, saturated fat, sodium, and key food groups provided each day. 7 Page 7

8 The Whole Grains Council - With the new school meal pattern requirements for whole grains, it is important to understand what items are considered whole grain. The School Foods section of the Whole Grains Council site provides product listings of whole grain items that can be used in school lunch and breakfast programs as well as a downloadable recipe book with 22 whole grain recipes. Look for the whole grain stamps shown below when selecting grain products. Products marked with the 8g or more per serving whole grain stamp contribute at least 50% of their grain sources from whole grains. Products marked with the 100% whole grain stamp contribute 100% of their grains from whole grain sources. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) Adolescent and School Health - This page of the CDC site provides evidence-based guidance that schools can use to promote and implement healthy policies, practices, behaviors, and choices among students. It provides links to sections on guidelines and strategies, nutrition facts, data and statistics, physical activity facts, publications and resources, childhood obesity facts, water access in schools, and local school wellness policy. It also provides a section on Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools via which provides fact sheets for four audiences: school nutrition service personnel, parents and school staff, school administration, and students. Schoolmenu.com - This site provides weekly sample menus from participating school districts nationwide and many fruit and veggie recipes from smoothies to burritos. Also provided are tips on fitness and health, a featured fruit and veggie of the month, and downloadable educational activities for kids. 8 Page 8

9 National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) - This site provides webinars on the topic of gluten-free, a guide on accommodating students with celiac disease in schools, guides on gluten-free living, and gluten-free lunch and snack ideas. School foodservice personnel, administrators, parents, and kids can use the site to become better educated on celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. Beyond Breakfast - beyondbreakfast.org/ This site, created by the School Nutrition Foundation, also known as SNA, promotes School Breakfast Programs and has news on current events. It provides resources and tools for menu planning, promoting school meal programs, financial planning, and implementing breakfast programs. Healthy Schools Campaign - The Healthy Schools Campaign Quick & Easy Guide to School Wellness provides tips for improving student nutrition and fitness, school success stories for implementing wellness programs, and a question and answer section on improving foods available in schools, increasing physical activity, teaching good nutrition, and evaluating programs. The Resources and Tools section provides links and downloadable materials on school wellness, nutrition, physical activity, school gardening, cafeteria marketing, assessing and evaluating programs, school snacks, engaging parents, and more. Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition - This site provides menu templates, classroom activities, in-service toolkits, webinars, retail product nutrition information, and continuing education materials. It also features a section titled Go With the Whole Grain for Kids that provides K-5 whole grain curriculum to help teach students the benefits of whole grains, which is available via Power Playte - The Power Playte site has sections for kids, parents, and educators. Available resources include lesson plan ideas, recipes, fruit and veggie riddles, facts, and characters. 9 Page 9