Having grown up walking through the farmers’ markets of the San Francisco Bay Area, Alex Freeman immersed himself in the local and organic food culture that was rapidly expanding. He remembers his family purchasing fresh produce from the markets every …
From Pho to Burritos: Highlighting Doug Davis, Director of Food Services for Burlington Public Schools
With a background in the hotel and restaurant industry, and more than twenty years of work in child nutrition under his belt, it’s no surprise that Food Service Director Doug Davis has transformed the K-12 cafeteria scene in Burlington, Vermont. …
Marketing Nutrition: School Cafeteria Signage Resources
Some searching reveals an abundance of cafeteria signage resources from colorful posters to cute stickers. This page offers a snapshot of some of those resources both free and paid. According to the 6 guiding principles of the Smarter Lunchrooms Movement…
Bust a Move! How to Use Dance Breaks to Get Students Reenergized and Refocused in the Classroom
Fostering classroom attention and participation can be as easy as “5, 6, 7, 8!” The Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education & Policy, Program in Nutrition at Teachers College, Columbia University has developed an innovative and fun way to …
Savor the Flavor: In School Broccoli Tastings with Low Sodium Flavor Stations
Savor the Flavor (STF) is a k-6 school cafeteria and classroom promotion designed to encourage healthy food consumption like dark green vegetables.
STF Goals:
- To promote health and reduce chronic disease risk through the consumption of healthful foods and the
Together … We Can! Achieving Successful Partnerships
Partnerships are an excellent way to enhance programming. Decreased funding and staff hours, and increased learning objective demands can make it hard for one organization to do it all. Partnerships provide an opportunity for multiple organizations to address community challenges …
Assessment Tools for School Food Programs and Environments
Assessment is the first step in identifying opportunities for improvement and starting a planning process for making schools even healthier. This page provides a summary of 5 different assessment tools that school food service professionals, school administrators, and program leaders …
The Blue Zones® Project: Bringing Positive Change to School Wellness
Blue Zones® is a health and wellness initiative founded by Dan Buettner. He travelled all over the world researching communities. The areas that he found to be the healthiest with the greatest longevity he named the ‘Blue Zones.’
The Blue …
Obtaining and Processing Local Foods: A Food Service Director Perspective
While evidence about the benefits of eating local food continues to build, farm-to-school endeavors present challenges when considering unique needs of school foodservice operations. Many districts encounter a variety of barriers to incorporating locally grown food in school cafeteria menus. …
Tried and True Tips for Clearly Communicating Your Messages
Whether you’re doing a 3-minute TV interview or a 30-minute Back-to-School night presentation, creating a simple action plan can mean the difference between communication success and failure. Taking a few minutes to think about your audience and plan your key …