The Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers several child nutrition programs. One of the most well-known of these is the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), administered through state agencies for reimbursing schools that …
Who is Eligible to Participate in Federally Funded School Food Programs?
The Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers several child nutrition programs including the the National School Lunch Program, and the School Breakfast Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Special Milk Program, Summer Food …
How School Lunches Can Benefit Your Child
USDA and National School Lunch Program (NSLP) lunches are carefully designed to meet the specific nutritional needs of students9. By limiting salt, fat, and sugar content while increasing the amount of vitamins and minerals such as iron, school …
Healthful Celebrations in Schools
There are many fun ways to celebrate special events in schools. Check out these ideas.
For Birthday Fun:
What a teacher can do:
- Make a crown, button, sign or banner for the birthday child.
- Allow the student to pick a
A School Garden—How to Grow it and Enjoy it!
A school garden can provide an exciting environment in which students can work with many people while learning how to grow food. A successful garden may include parents, volunteers, teachers, and Master Gardeners. The first step towards being successful is …
5 Tips for Easy, Efficient Nutrition Lessons
Parents and teachers are always looking for simple and easy ways to teach necessary nutritional information to children and students. Below are tips on how to create or find easy nutrition lessons. When organizing nutritional information ensure it is correct, …
From Plant to Plate: Benefits of Farm to School Programs
Goals
There are many farm-to-school programs, at the national, state, and regional level. The overarching objectives of these programs are uniform; to incorporate fresh, local produce into school meal programs. The basic principles of farm-to-school programs are:
- Improve student health
Don’t Lick the Plate! Why Encouraging Kids to Clean the Plate can Backfire
Finish everything on your plate, is a common house hold rule. What many parents don’t realize is that this rule might cause negative eating behaviors in the long run. According to a study of pre-school children and their primary …
Encourage Healthy Eating Behaviors and Promote School Lunches
Students who eat full, balanced meals everyday are more likely to perform better academically and behaviorally.5 Often, the breakfasts and lunches provided by the school are the best way for children to get the nutrition that they need to concentrate …
The Special Milk Program: An Introduction
Background
The Special Milk Program (SMP) was established in 1955 to increase the milk consumption by children in schools and childcare institutions that do not participate in other Federal meal service programs. In 1966, the Special Milk Program was incorporated …