1	An Introduction To School Nutrition School District of Upper Moreland Township Summer, 2007
2	Agenda The facts about school meals School wellness policies Getting involved A look to the future
3	"School Breakfast" School Breakfast Increasing participation in SBP 9.3 million children served daily* 4.5% growth from 2004 1.6 billion breakfasts served annually 22% of kids don’t eat breakfast on school days** Our district’s School Breakfast Program is available daily in all schools. Each breakfast is only $ 1.00. Meals include an entrée, milk, fruit and juice choices. Source: SNA Little Big Fact Book 2006 *Source: Weekly Reader Research, 10/19/2006
4	"School Lunch" School Lunch Increasing participation in NSLP 29.6 million children served daily 1.7% growth from 2004 95% of schools participate in NSLP 4.9 billion lunches served annually Our district’s School Lunch Program served over 300,000 lunches during the 2006-2007 school year. *Source: SNA Little Big Fact Book 2006
5	School Meals – The Facts School meals are healthier than ever! Kids are offered healthy, tasty and appealing choices: Fresh fruits and vegetables Whole grains Reduced or zero TransFats Self Serve Food Bars Pizza with whole grain crust, low-fat cheese Whole grain pasta Baked items rather than fried Healthful cooking/preparation techniques
6	School Meals – The Facts School meals are balanced and healthy Lunches that are part of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) must meet nutrition guidelines including: limiting fat and saturated fat in meals providing one-third of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C. NSLP lunches meet the dietary guidelines. NSLP lunches are served in age appropriate portion sizes and provide the right balance of protein, dairy, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
7	School Meals – The Facts School Meals help kids maintain a healthy weight Students who eat school meals provided through the NSLP and the SBP are more likely to be at a healthy weight.* NSLP participants are more likely than non-participants to consume vegetables, milk and milk products, and meat and other protein-rich foods, both at lunch and over 24 hours; they also consume less soda and/or fruit drinks.** This benefit is especially relevant for kids and their parents in today’s climate of heightened awareness of obesity issue. Students are less likely to gain weight during the school year when in school than during the summer when school is out. Source Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, August 2003 *Source USDA
8	School Meals – The Facts School Meals include USDA commodity foods USDA has made significant progress in reducing the fat, sodium and added sugar in commodity foods. Ground beef was reduced to an average 15% fat, as compared to an average 30% fat content in the fast food industry. Commodity canned fruits are only bought with light syrup and fruit juice verses heavy syrup. A wide variety of fresh, frozen and canned fruit and vegetable products are offered. Over 50% of commodities available to schools are grains, fruits and vegetables. Source USDA
9	School Meals – The Facts School meals help students to do better in school Research has shown that students who eat school meals perform their best academically. Students who eat school breakfast have greater gains in standardized test scores and show improvements in math, reading and vocabulary scores.* Healthy eating correlates with less trips to the school nurse and less absenteeism. Providing nutritious school breakfast on testing days – and every school day - leads to improved test scores. *Source: Classroom Breakfast Scores High in Maryland, Maryland Meals for Achievement. October 2001
10	School Meals – The Facts School meals are safe USDA commodities used in the NSLP are safe and part of a nutritious school lunch. School nutrition professionals have rigorous training in food safety and have implemented a HACCP Plan. All UMTSD meals are prepared by County and Nationally certified food handlers. School kitchens are subject to two health inspections annually conducted by the local health department. All inspection reports are posted in each school. According to the Food and Drug Administration, school kitchens are among the safest of commercial and institutional foodservice establishments.
11	Local Wellness Policies Public Law 108-265 enacted June 30, 2004 Section 204 – Local Wellness Policies “Not later than the first day of the school year beginning after June 30, 2006, each local educational agency … shall establish a local school wellness policy”
12	Local Wellness Policies Our school district has guidelines for School meals A la carte cafeteria sales Vending machines Student stores Classroom parties and special events Fundraising events
13	Getting Involved Parents Parents and school nutrition professionals share the same goals: Well-balanced nutritious meals for their kids Creating healthy eating habits for life Parents are role models and influence what kids eat Encourage healthy eating and lifestyles at home for you and your kids (actions speak louder than words…)
14	Getting Involved Parents Review the cafeteria menu with your kids to help them plan for a balanced meal Join your kids for school lunch or school breakfast (Must discuss with your child’s principal – some restrictions apple) Communicate any concerns or special diets your kids may have Tell us what you think
15	Getting Involved Teachers and School Administrators Visit the cafeteria during lunch or breakfast Join students for lunch or breakfast Encourage the school nutrition director to make presentations to parents about the benefits of school meals and a healthy lifestyle at HAS/ PTA meetings and in the classroom Make time for school breakfast even if it’s in the classroom or on the go Get involved in your wellness policy implementation Value nutrition education as highly as traditional core curricula. Combine lesson plans that combine nutrition education with other subjects like math, science and social studies.
16	The Future We support forward thinking programs like: Alternative forms of school breakfast like breakfast in the classroom Taste testing with parents and students Advocating for additional state and federal financial support National school food and beverage standards legislation to promote healthy school nutrition environments across the country
17	Contact Us School Nutrition Association www.schoolnutrition.org