USEFUL WEBSITES FOR
HEALTHY KIDS
Food Service Health
Options
The following links contain information to
support the need for change in food service, suggestions on a la
carte offerings, information on implementing a la carte programs,
and the overall impact food service has on the health of youth
today.
https://fns.state.mn.us/FNSProg/NSLP/PDF/Resources/ALACARTEGuide.pdf
This link offers an overview of a la
carte programs to assist you in determining if one is appropriate
for your school. The information will focus on establishing or
enhancing a nutritionally and fiscally sound a la carte program.
Item selection and pricing, examples of offerings, financial
procedures and related topics will be addressed. This is a product
of Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning. (August
1996)
http://www.ecoliteracy.org/programs/pdf/rethinking_marketing.pdf
This is a great link offering
suggestions of what to sell and how to market school food items. It
includes an interview with Andy Goodman on marketing new ideas for
healthy eating and food to students and parents.
http://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/ESMMmaterials/SchoolFoodsStandards.pdf
This is a summary of the policy changes,
challenges, and benefits of North Carolina’s Eat Smart:
Recommended Standards for All Foods Available in Schools.
Understanding the financial pressures we are facing today with the
changing nutrition guidelines, we have a responsibility to the
students to face the challenges of weight and health head on. This
link is a summary of what North Carolina is doing to make changes.
Understanding obesity prevention requires a comprehensive approach,
schools are not responsible for solving the problem, but they can
play a strategic role. By providing a healthy school nutrition
environment, we have the opportunity to influence students’
eating patterns and influence their families and
community.
http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/child/snp/nslp/alacarte.pdf
This document addresses the role
of schools in supporting children to develop healthy eating habits.
More specifically, it discusses competitive foods in the school,
including ala carte offerings. School food service directors have
the authority to change ala carte offerings to benefit the
students’ health. (September 2004)
http://www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/USDA_Fruit_Vegetable_Pilot_Program.pdf
A nice summary of the USDA’s
Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program discussing the changes in food
consumption of students when provided free fruits and vegetables.
This includes a history of the program and results to evaluations
of the program. There are also quotes from students, parents, food
service employees and school principals on the program.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00042446.htm
The CDC’s guidelines for
school health programs to promote lifelong healthy eating
summarizes strategies most likely to be effective in promoting
healthy eating among school-age youths and provides nutrition
education guidelines for a comprehensive school health
program.
The following links include ways to improve
marketing in student stores, examples of public service
announcements to promote new items, and promotional ideas to boost
sales.
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Healthy_Foods_AttchmtA_12_9_83179_7.pdf
This link includes a worksheet on developing marketing plans,
how to conduct market research of students, ten marketing
strategies, methods for running promotions and advertising you
student store.
Healthy Vending
Kids First of Rhode Island offers two documents
available on the Seattle Public Schools Nutrition Services Website.
The first helps brainstorm vending machine ideas that promote
healthy eating. The second document is a list of foods that may
fall within the new district guidelines.
PTA Healthy
Fundraising
Great Link!
http://www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/constructive_rewards.pdf
Constructive classroom rewards: promoting good habits while
protecting children’s health. This link includes food
alternatives for rewards, like school supplies, eating outside for
lunch; “no homework” passes, choosing class activities,
reading the school-wide morning announcements, etc.
http://www.phi.org/pdf-library/lean-pb3.pdf
This document offers suggestions on fundr aising including success
stories around the nation. It also offers alternative fundraising
ideas including auctions, brick sale with engraved donor names,
spring clean up in the community where students are paid hourly to
help community members and non-food sales.
http://www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/snacks_summary.pdf
The Center for Science in the Public Interest, with input from
experts and parents, has developed two new resources with healthy
snack ideas for parents, teachers, after school programs, and other
caregivers. This is a 1-page version that can be used as a handout
or model newsletter article. (Geared towards elementary age
students)
http://cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/healthy_school_snacks.pdf
This is the more detailed document from the Center of Science
in the Public Interest. (Geared towards elementary age
students)
http://depts.washington.edu/waschool/Background_Examples.html#Nutr
This website was developed by a healthy schools team in
Washington state to identify resources to help students, parents,
schools and district officials, and community members work together
to make it easier for children to choose health-promoting foods, be
physically active and be ready to learn at school.
Success Stories
http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/nutrition/Making-It-Happen/index.htm
Making It Happen – School Nutrition Success Stories
(MIH) illustrates a wide variety of approaches that schools have
taken to improve student nutrition. The most consistent theme
emerging from these case studies is that students will buy and
consume healthful foods and beverages – and schools can make
money from healthful options.
http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/nutrition/pdf/facts.pdf
This link is a clear summary of facts related to nutrition and
the health of young people by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention/Division of Adolescent and School Health.
Policy/Assessment
http://www.thefoodtrust.org/pdf/snpolicy.pdf#search='school%20and%20eating%20and%20policy'
This is a great example of a detailed and organized policy for
a school district. This document details the comprehensive school
nutrition policy for the School District of Philadelphia. This
coordinated school nutrition policy provides the framework for
ensuring that students attending schools in Philadelphia receive
nutrition education messages that are reinforced throughout the
school environment.
http://www.schoolwellnesspolicies.org/resources/NANAWellnessPolicies.pdf
Model local school wellness policies on physical activity and
nutrition – National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity
(NANA) – March 2005. This document includes examples of
policies based on the new federal requirements and offers several
web resources to assist with policy setting in specific
districts.
Return to Top of
Page
Return to Nutrition Services
Home Page