Healthier Schools
A May Morning Harvest in the White House Garden
Back in March, a group of students from across the country joined First Lady Michelle Obama to plant a new crop in the White House garden.
Hats Off for Active Schools!
It is time celebrate a new school year with the unveiling of the 2015 Let’s Move! Active Schools National Award recipients! Today, Let’s Move! Active Schools partners and staff are proud to honor the 525 schools from 37 states that have earned the top physical activity and physical education distinction for K-12 schools.
Setting the Record Straight: Healthy School Meal Rules Allow for Bake Sales
Ed. Note: This is a cross post from the blog of usda.gov. You can find the original post here.
Several recent media reports have misrepresented how the bi-partisan Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act’s Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards will impact school fundraisers like bake sales.
A Fresh (Fish) Spin on an Old Concept
The school day keeps getting healthier for kids in the Bend-LaPine School District in central Oregon! Building on the concept of Farm to School (connecting farmers to schools), Oregon is implementing an innovative concept called “Boat to School.” This program connects Oregon fishermen and processors with the school cafeteria and classroom so that local seafood is served on the lunch line and students learn about coastal communities.
First Lady Michelle Obama Speaks to Parade Magazine
This weekend, First Lady Michelle Obama appeared in Parade Magazine and applauded the success of Let’s Move! Whether in school cafeterias or at the Kids' State Dinner, First Lady Michelle Obama has consistently promoted nutrition and getting active throughout her time at the White House.
Alabama City School System Proactive in Meeting New Meal Standards
Andalusia City Schools were ahead of the curve. Even before they applied for the Healthier U.S. School Challenge (HUSSC) and won a Gold Award of Distinction for their elementary school, Andalusia City Schools were already taking steps towards making nutritional improvements to their meals.
“We have a long standing tradition of excellence and are recognized as a system where performance exceeds expectations,” said Ms. Stephanie Dillard, child nutrition director for Andalusia City Schools. “At Andalusia City Schools we want what is best for all students, and we exceed expectations in our school meals.”
Schools in Andalusia began serving whole wheat breads and romaine lettuce prior to applying for the HUSSC. Additionally, the schools increased their fruit and vegetable offerings, including dark green and dark orange vegetables a few times a week. Students were also already served one percent or skim milk.
Students “Rock On” to A Healthier School Day across New York’s Southern Tier
Fifteen school districts in New York’s Southern Tier are leading the way in creating healthier school environments through its Rock on Café School Meals Program. Through Rock on Café, we’ve consolidated bids, recipes, promotions, and menus, and added a Registered Dietitian who provides nutrition expertise to the school meal programs. Numerous schools under this program have earned USDA HealthierUS Schools Challenge Awards through creating healthy menus and meeting the requirements for physical activity and nutrition education.
A main component of the Rock on Café is our partnerships with community agencies and organizations to provide nutrition education and healthier meals to students. Two of the partners include the Broome County Health Department and United Health Services “Stay Healthy Kids” Center. Through the Broome County Health Department, the Rock on Café has partnered to reduce sodium in school meals. By means of consolidated food procurement with specification for items and taste testing with students, sodium has been successfully reduced!
Small Changes Make a Big Impact in New Hampshire
Dr. Norman W. Crisp Elementary School is honored to be the first school in the State of New Hampshire to receive a Silver Award from the USDA’s Healthier US Schools Program. As the school nurse at Dr. Crisp, I am proud to say that we have been working on providing a healthy school environment for over nine years.
Learning about Proper Nutrition with Our Hands and Our Brains at a Virgin Islands High School
Last September I visited Ivanna Eudora Kean High School in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, to observe a unique outdoor “classroom.” At the far end of the school parking lot, a small group of students were carefully testing the pH and temperature of bubbling water in bright blue tanks that contained hundreds of tiny tilapia fish hatchlings. And just a few feet away another group of students were proudly tending the seedlings of lettuce, pumpkin, carrots and other herbs and vegetables thriving in the aquaponic farm.
Embracing Teachable Moments in Minnesota
School meals are quite often the healthiest, and sometimes the only, meals some children receive. At Sky Oaks Elementary School in Minnesota, we believe that encouraging and empowering our students towards a healthy lifestyle is crucial. Once they understand how fantastic certain foods make them feel, students continue eating them. In turn, we are seeing students encourage and empower their peers, as well as their families, to make healthy choices—what a delightful chain reaction!
Getting children to try new fruits is easy. Veggies prove to be a tough sell, but our veggie consumption sky rocketed when we started roasting them. One trick is to offer a “Sprinkle or Scoop.” It gives me great pride to see how many “scoops” we actually serve now. In fact, while ten pounds of veggies used to last the entire lunch service, today we cut it close when we roast up 75 pounds! It’s amazing when you see your students come to the realization of how delicious fruits and veggies truly are.
