June 24, 2009 - Over 53,000 School Nutrition Association (SNA) members have access to the CN Marketplace. As a way to get your information in front of these decision makers, we are offering a special price of $99 dollars for a completed listing to all consultants in this industry. That is a savings of 75%. A completed listing in the CN Marketplace gives you the ability to display your logo, a link to your website & Email, a company description, and much more! If you would like additional information on advertising options, click http://thecnmarketplace.com/mediakit.php to view the Media Kit. Keep in mind; you can access your company information at any time. Use your unique username and password to access your company's information. Click on “Add or Edit Your Listing.”
June 10, 2009 – The Foodservice Achievement Management Excellence (FAME) Award program is making its call for nominations for the 21st annual ceremony honoring outstanding school nutrition professionals at an event scheduled for January 10, 2010 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. during the School Nutrition Association’s (SNA) 2010 Child Nutrition Industry Conference.
Nominations will be taken online or via a downloadable form at www.fameawards.net until September 18, 2009. Eligible nominees include SNA members in good standing. With each valid nomination, the nominating party will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a Visa gift card in the amount of $100, $50 or $25. See the FAME website for official rules.
Six categories will be awarded, including one Gold Award for School Foodservice Director of the Year and five Silver Awards: Leadership, Spirit, Rising Star, Special Achievement and Friend of Child Nutrition. The selection committee is made up of 2009 FAME Award winners and industry media partners. For 20 years, the FAME Awards have honored school nutrition professionals who raise industry standards by stepping up to challenges within their school districts and communities. The awards program is sponsored by Basic American Foods, Schwan’s Food Service, Inc. and Tyson Foods, Inc.
FAME nomination application (pdf)
CNIC 2010
June 18, 2009 -- Congratulations to the SNA members who participated on winning teams for 2008-2009 “Eat Smart, Get Moving!” Contest sponsored by the School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) and the National Dairy Council. The contest encouraged members of the School Nutrition Association (SNA) to serve as role models to students by making changes to improve their health by incorporating physical activity and good nutrition into their daily routine. The program goals gradually worked toward meeting the 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommendations for daily servings of low-fat dairy products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains, collectively known as the “food groups to encourage”, as well as 60 minutes of physical activity each day.
Team members joined together to track the servings that they ate from these “food groups to encourage” and minutes of physical activity each day over the course of thirty weeks. Team leaders averaged and recorded these points into the interactive Eat Smart, Get Moving! website as their teams “walked” on a journey from Philadelphia, site of ANC 2008, to Las Vegas, where SNA’s Annual National Conference 2009 will begin on June 29. SNF provided support to participants in the form of emails, newsletters, and tips to motivate and provide strategies to meet the program goals.
Approximately 105 teams with a total of 820 members participated in all four phases of the program! The members of these six teams earned top points in each category, designated by the number of team members.
First Prize Winning Teams
Second Prize Winning Teams
Overall Winning District
First prize winning teams will receive prizes including milk merchandisers for their schools, gift certificates to use in SNA’s Emporium, and spa gift certificates. Second prize winning teams will receive Emporium gift certificates and spa gift certificates. The overall winning district will receive a $5,000 one-time wellness grant.
SNF Congratulates All Participants! SNF commends all SNA members who participated in Eat Smart, Get Moving! for their commitment and dedication to their own health and wellness. We wish all SNA members well in continuing to engage in eating the recommended daily servings of foods from the “food groups to encourage” and to be active 60 minutes each day.
Viva Las Vegas—SNA’s 2009 Annual National Conference (ANC) is just days away! Are you one of the thousands of school nutrition professionals ready to immerse themselves in four invigorating days of education and excitement? SNA staff are working diligently to ensure you have the opportunity to enjoy everything ANC and Las Vegas have to offer. For details about ANC 2009, including education sessions, featured speakers, events and more, please visit the dedicated ANC 2009 section of SchoolNutrition.org. Also, here are some last-minute reminders to keep in mind as you make your way to Las Vegas.
GETTING AROUNDMandalay Bay is located in the South End of the Las Vegas Strip about 2 miles from the McCarran International Airport. Shuttles are available at the airport and they drop off at all the major strip hotels. Mandalay is usually either the very first drop off or the very last drop off. Shuttles generally cost $4-$6 per person. They are located on the north and west sides of baggage claim. The other option is a taxi which costs between $16-$20, for up to 5 people and will bring you directly to Mandalay Bay. Taxicabs are available outside on the east side of baggage claim. Located all under one roof, the Mandalay Bay Convention Center is the largest meeting facility located on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip. With its sister properties, THEhotel and the Luxor, conveniently located in the Mandalay Bay complex…you easily can attend education sessions, eat in a world-class restaurants or catch the latest show, all without ever stepping foot outside. Both hotels are within walking distance to Mandalay Bay; THEhotel is connected by a walkway while the Luxor is connected by a retail sky bridge. ANC attendees also may use a complimentary tram that runs between the Mandalay Bay, Excalibur and Luxor hotels for easy transportation to the Convention Center. It is in operation 24 hours a day and trains leave every 3-7 minutes.
REGISTRATIONANC conference registrants should check in at Registration starting Saturday afternoon, June 27th. Registration is located in the Bayside Foyer area of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. If you haven’t registered yet for ANC, it’s not too late…you may still register onsite! To register onsite, click on “Registration Form” in the Related Links below and bring it to the Registration Desk at Mandalay Bay.
Registration hours are as follows:Saturday, June 27, 12:00 pm–5:00 pmSunday, June 28, 7:30 am–5:00 pmMonday, June 29, 7:30 am–5:00 pmTuesday, June 30, 7:30 am–5:00 pmWednesday, July 1, 7:30 am–5:00 pmThursday, July 2, 7:30 am–12:00 pm
GOING GREENIn a continued effort to make ANC a greener, more environmentally friendly experience, SNA once again will be going paperless for all session handouts. What does that mean? Instead of receiving handouts during education sessions, registered attendees will be able access them electronically before and after the conference through the SNA website. Printing stations will not be available during the conference. To access handouts for the sessions you’re interested in attending, click on “ANC Handouts” in the Related Links below.
FINAL EVENTFrankie Valli & The Four SeasonsThursday, July 2, 8:00–10:00 pmAre you looking to get energized for the new school year? Well, nothing will put a smile on your face and a bounce in your step like this year’s ANC Final Event, featuring rock-and-roll legend Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. This American pop music icon—and the star on which the Tony Award-winning musical “Jersey Boys” is based—will be center stage performing those unforgettable doo-wop favorites that will take you back to a magical time in music history. The group’s hits, including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Candy Girl” and “Rag Doll,” are classics. Valli also topped the charts for his “My Eyes Adored You,” “December, ‘63 (Oh, What a Night)” and the sensational title track of the best-selling “Grease” soundtrack. No matter your generation, it’s likely that most of you know the words to these catchy tunes. So come join your school nutrition colleagues for this spectacular concert, and be prepared to sing and dance the night away! The event will take place at 8:00 pm on Thursday, July 2, in the Mandalay Bay Events Center. In order to receive admission to the concert, the ticket you received at Registration must be presented. Those without a ticket will not be admitted.
ANC 2009
Registration Form
ANC Handouts
June 17, 2009 -- This week both President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama separately renewed the Administration's call for a strong Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act in Congress this year and a renewed emphasis on healthy school meals. SNA continues to work with the Administration and members of Congress on key policy priorities that would result in better access to nutritious school breakfasts, lunches and snacks through the federal child nutrition programs.
On June 15, 2009, President Obama spoke to a gathering of the American Medical Association in Chicago, Ill. on the Administration's healthcare proposals. As part of his speech, the President stated:
The second step that we can all agree on is to invest more in preventive care so we can avoid illness and disease in the first place. (Applause.) That starts with each of us taking more responsibility for our health and for the health of our children. (Applause.) It means quitting smoking. It means going in for that mammogram or colon cancer screening. It means going for a run or hitting the gym, and raising our children to step away from the video games and spend more time playing outside. (Applause.) It also means cutting down on all the junk food that’s fueling an epidemic of obesity — (applause) — which puts far too many Americans, young and old, at greater risk of costly, chronic conditions. That’s a lesson Michelle and I have tried to instill in our daughters. As some of you know, we started a White House vegetable garden. I say “we” generously, because Michelle has done most of the work. (Laughter.) That’s a lesson that we should work with local school districts to incorporate into their school lunch programs.
The second step that we can all agree on is to invest more in preventive care so we can avoid illness and disease in the first place. (Applause.) That starts with each of us taking more responsibility for our health and for the health of our children. (Applause.) It means quitting smoking. It means going in for that mammogram or colon cancer screening. It means going for a run or hitting the gym, and raising our children to step away from the video games and spend more time playing outside. (Applause.)
It also means cutting down on all the junk food that’s fueling an epidemic of obesity — (applause) — which puts far too many Americans, young and old, at greater risk of costly, chronic conditions. That’s a lesson Michelle and I have tried to instill in our daughters. As some of you know, we started a White House vegetable garden. I say “we” generously, because Michelle has done most of the work. (Laughter.) That’s a lesson that we should work with local school districts to incorporate into their school lunch programs.
The following day First Lady Michelle Obama worked with students from Bancroft Elementary School in Washington, DC and Assistant White House Chef Sam Kass to harvest lettuce and snap peas from the White House Garden planted earlier this year. The students then helped prepare lunch using the harvest. The First Lady spoke to the students and members of the press, again emphasizing the need for healthy school meals. An abbreviated version of her comments are below:
Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high-blood pressure are all diet-related health issues that cost this country more than $120 billion each year. That's a lot of money. While the dollar figure is shocking in and of itself, the effect on our children's health is even more profound. Nearly a third of the children in this country are either overweight or obese, and a third will suffer from diabetes at some point in their lifetime. In Hispanic and African American communities, those numbers climb even higher so that nearly half of the children in those communities will suffer the same fate. Those numbers are unacceptable. And for the first time in the history of our nation, a nation that is one of the wealthiest on the planet, medical experts have warned that our younger generation may be on track to have a shorter life span than their parents as a direct result of the obesity epidemic. Again, that is just unacceptable. So how did we get here? How did we get in this position where we have become such an unhealthy nation, and our children are at risk? And the fact is there are a lot of factors, but some of the more simple ones are that too many kids are consuming high-calorie food with low nutritional value, and they're not getting enough exercise. It's plain and simple: They're not eating right and they're not moving their bodies at all. But unfortunately, for too many families, limited access to healthy fruits and vegetables is often a barrier to a healthier diet. In so many of our communities, particularly in poorer and more isolated communities, fresh, healthy food is simply out of reach. With few grocery stores in their neighborhoods, residents are forced to rely on convenience stores, fast food restaurants, liquor stores, drug stores and even gas stations for their groceries. But government also has a role to play in this, as well. For so many kids, subsidized breakfasts and lunches are their primary meals of the day. It's what they count on. It's where they get most of their nutrition. And the USDA's National School Lunch Program serves approximately 30 million meals each year to low-income children. And because these meals are the main source of consistent nourishment for these kids, we need to make sure we offer them the healthiest meals possible. So to make sure that we give all our kids a good start to their day and to their future, we need to improve the quality and nutrition of the food served in schools. We're approaching the first big opportunity to move this to the top of the agenda with the upcoming reauthorization of the child nutrition programs. In doing so, we can go a long way towards creating a healthier generation for our kids.
Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high-blood pressure are all diet-related health issues that cost this country more than $120 billion each year. That's a lot of money. While the dollar figure is shocking in and of itself, the effect on our children's health is even more profound. Nearly a third of the children in this country are either overweight or obese, and a third will suffer from diabetes at some point in their lifetime. In Hispanic and African American communities, those numbers climb even higher so that nearly half of the children in those communities will suffer the same fate. Those numbers are unacceptable.
And for the first time in the history of our nation, a nation that is one of the wealthiest on the planet, medical experts have warned that our younger generation may be on track to have a shorter life span than their parents as a direct result of the obesity epidemic. Again, that is just unacceptable.
So how did we get here? How did we get in this position where we have become such an unhealthy nation, and our children are at risk? And the fact is there are a lot of factors, but some of the more simple ones are that too many kids are consuming high-calorie food with low nutritional value, and they're not getting enough exercise. It's plain and simple: They're not eating right and they're not moving their bodies at all.
But unfortunately, for too many families, limited access to healthy fruits and vegetables is often a barrier to a healthier diet. In so many of our communities, particularly in poorer and more isolated communities, fresh, healthy food is simply out of reach. With few grocery stores in their neighborhoods, residents are forced to rely on convenience stores, fast food restaurants, liquor stores, drug stores and even gas stations for their groceries.
But government also has a role to play in this, as well. For so many kids, subsidized breakfasts and lunches are their primary meals of the day. It's what they count on. It's where they get most of their nutrition.
And the USDA's National School Lunch Program serves approximately 30 million meals each year to low-income children. And because these meals are the main source of consistent nourishment for these kids, we need to make sure we offer them the healthiest meals possible.
So to make sure that we give all our kids a good start to their day and to their future, we need to improve the quality and nutrition of the food served in schools. We're approaching the first big opportunity to move this to the top of the agenda with the upcoming reauthorization of the child nutrition programs. In doing so, we can go a long way towards creating a healthier generation for our kids.
The School Nutrition Association enthusiastically echoes the President and First Lady's call for a strong Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act and is actively advocacting for the following improvements which will result in healthier school meals for more children:
The Obama Administration has proposed $1 billion per year over ten years for the Child Nutrition Reauthorization process, however Congress has yet to identify the source of the funding. SNA, as well as the hundreds of additional local, state and national organizations that are part of the Child Nutrition Forum, is calling for $4 billion per year for key priorities that would enhance the quality and nutrition of all food served in schools as well significantly improve access to the child nutrition programs for families in need, both during the school day and during hours when school is out. Take action below by sending a message to Members of COngress about the importance of increased funding child nutrition programs.
Action Alert: Contact Congress on Child Nutrition Reauthorization
June 12, 2009 - The House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee approved its version of the Fiscal Year 2010 spending bill yesterday. Based upon Subcommittee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro’s (D-CT) opening statement, additional investments were made to the WIC and McGovern-Dole International Food for Education Programs. No amendments were offered during the afternoon session, being reserved for action before the full House Appropriations Committee which is currently scheduled for Thursday, June 18.
The bill that passed the Subcommittee yesterday provides funding to support participation in the WIC program at 10.1 million people, above the Administration’s participation level of 9.8 million. It sets aside $125 million for the upcoming WIC reauthorization, including a number of program improvements such as: increasing fruit and vegetable vouchers, supporting management information systems, implementing the electronic benefit transfer system, and expanding breast feeding peer counseling program. The bill addresses growing critical needs by providing sufficient funding to help up to an additional 700,000 women, infants, and children providing $7.541 billion for WIC to serve our nation’s vulnerable populations. This record funding level is over $681 million above (or 10 percent) FY 2009. The bill does not provide the additional $225 million contingency fund that was requested since there is expected to be $487 million available in fiscal year 2010.
The bill also expands America’s historical commitment to international food aid by providing an increase of over $464 million (27 percent) to the U.S. government’s primary international food aid program, the P.L. 480. Also provided is an additional $99.5 million to the McGovern‐Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, doubling the amount of funding appropriated in fiscal year 2009 to a total of $199.5 million. This valuable program supports education, child development, and food security for some of the world’s poorest children. According to USDA, in 2009 alone the program supported education and feeding programs in 15 countries that benefitted over 3.7 million children. To date, the McGovern‐Dole program has provided meals to more than 22 million children in 41 countries and boosted school attendance by an estimated 14 percent.
Under the draft calendar released earlier this week by full Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey (D-WI), the bill is expected to be considered by the full House on July 8 and 9. The Chairman’s Mark includes $22.9 billion in total discretionary spending – a $2.3 billion increase from fiscal year 2009 –which reflects proposed cuts totaling more than $650 million.
DeLauro Statement: FY2010 Agriculture Subcommittee Markup
Meeting Americans’ nutrition needs by Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) The Hill newspaper June 11, 2009
June 11, 2009 - The front page of USA Today confirms what many school nutrition professionals have known for some time: more students than ever are participating in National School Lunch Program through the free and reduced price categories. The paper cites USDA statistics showing that 16.5 million students now receive free school lunches daily, up 6.3% over last year, while 3.2 million receive reduced price lunches.
The article highlights the double digit increases in free and reduced price participation in states like California (17%,) Arizona (10%,) New Jersey (10%,) Utah (10%,) and Vermont (10%.) While participation increases reflect the difficult economic situation of the country, the article also notes the challenges facing school nutrition programs as they struggle financially to meet the rising demand.
SNA President Dr. Katie Wilson, SNS is quoted stating "We absolutely want every eligible student to participate, but schools are losing money on every meal." Dr. Wilson calls the increased demand, rising food prices and insufficient federal meal reimbursements a "perfect storm." House of Representatives' Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-CA) says Congress should give "serious consideration" to boosting the federal subsidy during Child Nutrition Reauthorization this year.
To read both USA Today articles that appeared today, and to access an Action Alert calling for increased school nutrition funding, see Related Links below.
More students on lunch programs, USA Today June 11, 2009
School Systems juggle to cover cost of students' free lunches, USA Today June 11, 2009
Take Action Now: Contact Congress SNA Action Alert
June 8, 2009 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced this week USDA’s intention to purchase up to $2.7 million of fresh tomatoes for federal nutrition assistance programs. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) purchases a variety of high-quality food products each year to support the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Summer Food Service Program, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program and the Emergency Food Assistance Program. USDA also makes emergency food purchases for distribution to victims of natural disasters.
The USDA added a fresh-cut apple purchase pilot program earlier this year, and reportedly may also start purchasing baby peeled carrots as part of a pilot program. The apple purchases could amount to $16.3 million, according to a USDA news release.
Government food experts work to ensure that all purchased food is healthful and nutritious. Food items are normally required to be low in fat, sugar and sodium. The commodities must meet specified grade requirements and be USDA-certified to ensure quality. AMS purchases only products of 100 percent domestic origin.
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Purchase of Up to $2.7 Million of Fresh Tomatoes for Federal Nutrition Assistance Programs
June 3, 2009 — As America finds itself in the middle of changing agricultural times, new developments from within the agriculture industry and from legislation are playing an important role in the food production process. The June/July issue of School Nutrition, SNA’s flagship publication, delves into topics from sustainable agriculture to the challenges facing today’s family farms to what’s in store for the federal commodity program, an effort that can be considered the original farm-to-school program.
“Field of Vision” explores some of the major agricultural issues to watch in the coming months, including biotechnology and GMO (genetically modified) crops, as well as legislation regarding the treatment of animals raised for food production.
“A New Breed” takes a look at the difficulties that some family farms face when it comes to issues like government subsidies and serving markets of different sizes.
The federal commodity program has undergone numerous changes over the past decade, and “Commodities on the Grow” examines what’s next as USDA works to enhance the program to make it more effective in supporting today’s school nutrition operations.
It’s time for ANC Las Vegas! “Viva Las Vegas” is packed with information that attendees need to know about educational program tracks, keynote speakers and exhibitors taking part in the Exhibit Hall.
School Nutrition – June/July 2009
June 4, 2009 -- Social media has been all the rage for a few months now as social networking sites like Facebook continue to rise in popularity. A March 2009 report by Nielsen Online found that networking and blogging sites account for almost ten percent of time spent on the internet -- more than email. And every major news outlet has done a story on a web service called "Twitter" in the past several months, mainly around the increase in Twitter’s visitors by more than 1,300 percent between February 2008 and February 2009. SNA has joined Twitter under the name 'SchoolLunch' and over 950 people currently follow the Association through the service. SNA also has a fan page on Facebook for members and non-members to network online. So what exactly is Twitter? How do you Tweet? Why become a fan?
Twitter is a web-based service that anyone can join by setting up a free account with a username and password. After you join you are given a blank box that you can fill with 140 characters (not words) and a simple question: What are you doing? You can answer this any way you please. For SNA, the Twitterfeed (as the running log of 140 character posts - or Tweets - is called) includes updates on new stories posted to the SNA website, breaking school nutrition-related legislative news, reminders of upcoming deadlines to register for conferences and other relevant information. Individuals with Twitter accounts, whether SNA members, parents, food bank managers, education reporters, nutritionists or others, can then become followers (people that choose to see and read tweets) of the SchoolLunch Twitterfeed and SNA's news.
SNA also follows other groups and individuals on Twitter including news organizations, allied groups like Feed America and the Food Research and Action Center, and SNA members. Twitter is also being used by school districts to post daily lunch menus, solicit student and parent feedback, and promote special events like Child Nutrition Employee Appreciation Week. If you aren't one of the 10 million people currently using Twitter, consider doing so now. Log on to http://twitter.com/SchoolLunch and it will ask you to join. Go through the simple start up steps, pick a username and password, and once in you will have the option of following SNA's SchoolLunch Twitterfeed.
From there, search for friends using the search feature, invite others to join Twitter, or look at the list of followers on SNA's Twitter page and consider following some of them. The more people you follow, the more tweets will appear across your screen and the more information you get. You can always unfollow people as well if it gets to be too much! When you are ready, try filling in the blank box and posting your own tweet: maybe it is just 'trying out this thing called Twitter,' or maybe it is 'don't forget to put money on your child's school lunch account!' Like anything, Twitter takes a little while to get used to, but folks from Shaquille O'Neil (Twitter name THE_REAL_SHAQ) to Lance Armstrong (twitter name: lancearmstrong) have found it a great way to share what's on their minds with the world around us. For SNA, it is becoming a great way to further promote the message of healthy school meals with interested individuals and groups.
Along the same lines, SNA now also has a fan page on Facebook. SNA related news, conference reminders, photos, upcoming events and more are posted to the page. A community of fans of SNA are also participating in online conversations by commenting on stories and raising their own topics. The SNA Facebook fan page continues to grow and change depending on the fans that join. You can also find SNA pages on the photo sharing sight Flickr and the video sharing site YouTube. And finally, don't forget to check out SNA's own blogs: Viva Las Vegas on ANC 2009 and From the Kitchen to the Congress on child nutrition reauthorization. See you in cyberspace!
SNA on Twitter
SNA on Facebook
SNA on Flickr
SNA on YouTube
Viva Las Vegas Blog
From the Kitchen to the Congress Blog
June 3, 2009 -- SP Provisions, a Portland, Ore., establishment is recalling approximately 39,973 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced yesterday. The products subject to recall include items sent to institutions including schools in Oregon and Washington.
Recalled items include:
Cascade Natural Beef Brand:
SP Provisions Brand:
Each identifying case code is preceded by the date code "040809" through "052809," signifying the production date in "month/date/year" format, i.e. April 8, 2009 through May 28, 2009. Additionally, each product bears the establishment number "EST. 2866" inside the USDA mark of inspection. These ground beef products were produced on various dates from April 8, 2009 through May 28, 2009, and were distributed to retail establishments as well as hotels, restaurants and institutions in Oregon and Washington. The products, produced from the same source material, were sent into commerce prior to May 29, 2009.The problem was discovered through FSIS microbiological sampling. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a physician. E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.
Responding to a Food Recall
June 2, 2009 -- The Spring issue of the Journal of Child Nutrition and Management released this week included a study by researchers at the University of Minnesota that detailed the barriers and opportunities related to menuing whole grain products in school meal programs. While over 85% of school nutrition programs have efforts under way to increase the amount of whole grains served to students, cost and availability of whole grain items have been previously identified as challenges.
The primary objective of the study, "Barriers and Opportunities Related to Whole Grain Foods in Minnesota School Foodservice" was to gain feedback from school nutrition professionals regarding their experiences in ordering, purchasing, preparing, and serving whole grain foods in the school environment. Data were collected through four focus groups consisting of 36 school nutrition directors and/or managers from urban, suburban, and rural school districts in Minnesota. Focus groups were held during the 2007 Minnesota School Nutrition Association’s (MSNA) annual conference in Rochester, Minn..
The study's authors found that school nutrition professionals wanted a standard measure for the amount of whole grain in food items. The confusion lies not in defining whole grain flour, which is ground from unrefined kernels of wheat, oats, rye, etc., but in defining a whole grain product. Whole grain products are made with whole grain flour, plus other ingredients, and sorting out the whole grain content of a food product can be challenging. The researchers write that one definition for whole grain products, from the Food and Drug Administration, is based on the amount of whole grain in the total weight of the product. Another, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, defines a whole grain product as one in which whole grains account for 51 percent of the total flour content. Additionally, several states have policies that define whole grains in other ways, sometimes based on the order of ingredients listed on the nutrition label.
The study also found barriers around other themes including packaging and labeling; distribution and availability; quality and cost; sensory and adaptation; and communication and promotion.
The researchers concluded that there is a need to clarify policy and regulations regarding a universal definition of whole grain foods for use in school nutrition programs. The study further identified the need for greater communication between schools, vendors, manufacturers and governmental agencies. The goal should be to remove confusion surrounding what definitions to use and which standards to follow when ordering and serving whole grain products in school nutrition.
Related Links
Barriers and Opportunities Related to Whole Grain Foods in Minnesota School Foodservice Journal of Child Nutrition and Management, Spring 2009
June 2, 2009 -- The webinars offered as part of SNF’s Webinar Wednesday series are available as recorded archives. View the webinars and earn CEUs at any time and any place! Links to the recordings for each webinar are available at www.schoolnutrition.org/webinars. SNF’s next webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3 at 2:30 Eastern Daylight Time. This webinar will address “Managing Food Allergies in Schools: Implementing Policy”. There is still time to register at www.schoolnutrition.org/foodallergy! Recent webinars include:
Stay tuned to www.schoolnutrition.org/webinars for information on current and upcoming webinars!
June 1, 2009 -- Type 2 diabetes, linked to increases in childhood obesity and overweight, is on the rise in school-age children. A “Current Issues” research article published in the Spring 2009 issue of The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management, now available online, examines the need for school nutrition professionals to participate in diabetes awareness training. School personnel, who increasingly will be called upon to implement medical and education management plans, must understand treatment strategies and meal planning options for diabetic students.
This latest issue of The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management, published by the School Nutrition Association, offers articles on a number of other topics critical to the successful operation of school meal programs.
The Spring 2009 issue of The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management also includes a summary of child nutrition research conducted by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. Research topics included, but were not limited to, the direct certification of students for free meals and research on the diets of school-age children.
The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management is published twice a year. Each refereed electronic issue provides timely and relevant insights into the many challenges and opportunities inherent in school nutrition programs.
To read The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management online, please visit: http://www.schoolnutrition.org/Content.aspx?id=12471