Game On!

Game On challenges America’s schools, staff, students, and the families they serve to get healthy, inside and out. Game On provides all the information and resources you need to host a successful school wellness program in your school, including an interactive school blueprint that allows you to search for fun Eat Better and Move More Challenges for every aspect of your school building. 

Explore the Game On website and the 6 steps they offer to help you improve student health, while reaching your schools needs. Don't forget to check out step 4: Find Activities to engage everyone on the team, including students!

Available at: http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/tools-for-schools/game-on

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Nutrition Education
3. Family Nutrition Education

Supporting Webinars - Action for Healthy Kids

Action for Healthy Kids offers a wide variety of virtual learning opportunities that can energize and educate your wellness team.  From school breakfast programs and recess before lunch to wellness policy implementation and more, most sessions are of no cost and are open to any interested individual or group.  This site gives you access to archived webinars and also allows you to register at the site for upcoming webinars.

Available at: http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/events/webinars

1. Step 1: Build
2. Team Building Help

Smarter Lunchroom Lunchroom Self-Assessment Score Card

The two page Smarter Lunchrom Self-Assessment Score Card can help you to evaluate your lunchroom, congratulate yourself for things you are doing well, and and identify areas of opportunity for improvement. 

Michigan State University Extension offers free coaching through the Smarter Lunchrooms Assessment. They have Technical Assistance Providers that have been trained by experts from Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Program. Through a partnership with Team Nutrition, linited funds are also available to help the schools to make improvements.

To have an MSU Extension coach assist you, contact Becky Henne at henner@anr.msu.edu.

 

1. Step 4: Evaluate
2. Evaluation Tools

Healthier US School Challenge

Healthier US School Challenge: Smarter Lunchrooms is open to all schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. We recognize that changing the school nutrition environment takes time and celebrate both the gradual changes and big successes of schools working diligently to help children eat more healthfully and be more physically active. Schools can submit an application at any time during the year for a Bronze, Silver, Gold or Gold of Distinction level award.

Available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/hussc/application-materials

1. Step 5: Share
2. Awards

USDA Best Practice Sharing Site

A collection of best-practices intended for School Food Authorities and State Agencies. The purpose of the site is to share resources and tools schools have used to serve healthy menus that meet school meal regulations.

Available at: http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/best-practices

1. Step 5: Share
2. Share Your Success

Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act championed by the First Lady and signed by President Obama, made the first major changes in school meals in 15 years. The new standards align school meals with the latest nutrition science and the real world circumstances of America’s schools. These responsible reforms do what’s right for children’s health in a way that’s achievable in schools across the Nation. Read more.

Available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/nutrition-standards-school-meals 

1. Local Wellness Policy
2. Background and Requirements

Local School Wellness Policy – Background Info from USDA

Local wellness policies are an important tool for parents, local educational agencies and school districts in promoting student wellness, preventing and reducing childhood obesity, and providing assurance that school meal nutrition guidelines meet the minimum federal school meal standards.

Available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/local-school-wellness-policy

1. Local Wellness Policy
2. Background and Requirements

USDA-funded Child Nutrition Programs

Learn more about Child Nutrition Programs offered through the United States Department of Agriculture.

Available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/child-nutrition-programs

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Background

Michigan Nutrition Standards Toolkit

Find ideas and tips for building and effective school health team.

The link below will take you to the Michigan Nutrition Standards Toolkit which provides you with the resources needed to implement the Michigan Nutrition Standards, including many team resources.

Available at: http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,4612,7-132-2940_2955_2959_58773-261516--,00.html 

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Background

Boost Breakfast Web site

The Michigan Boost School Breakfast website is for everyone interested in increasing the number of students who eat a quality school breakfast. Information targets school administrators, educators, support staff, school nutrition professionals, school nurses, families and students.  You’ll find many tools on this site to help you learn more and get involved in Boosting School Breakfast.

Available at: http://boostbreakfast.com/

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. School Breakfast

Smart Snacks in Schools

The new Smart Snacks in School standards provide minimum standards which allow schools to offer healthier snack foods for our children, while limiting junk food served to students. The intent is not to limit popular snack items, but instead to provide snack foods for students that are healthier. Learn more.

Available at: http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-43092_50144-327975--,00.html

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Snacks

Alliance for a Healthier Generation Production Calculator

This USDA-approved online tool allows you to plug in a few details about a food or beverage and will give you an immediate response as to whether or not it is allowable as a Smart Snack in School and, if so, for which age group.

Available at: https://www.healthiergeneration.org/take_action/schools/snacks_and_beverages/smart_snacks/alliance_product_calculator/

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Snacks

Alliance for a Healthier Generation – Production Navigator

This USDA-approved database offers a list, by category, of items that have already been approved as meeting Smart Snacks guidelines. Check out the notes to see which age groups these products are approved for. Information includes a visual of what products look like and their detailed product names.

Available at: https://www.healthiergeneration.org/live_healthier/eat_healthier/alliance_product_navigator/

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Snacks

Smart Snacks USDA

Starting in school year 2014-15, all foods sold at school during the school day will need to meet nutrition standards. The Smart Snacks in School regulation applies to foods sold a la carte, in the school store, and vending machines.  A number of tools and resources are available to help schools identify food items that meet Smart Snacks criteria. Find them on this page.

Available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/healthierschoolday/tools-schools-focusing-smart-snacks

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Snacks

Water for Students

Below are a list of several resources you can use to promote drinking water at school:

• Increasing Access to Drinking Water in Schools
  CDC’s tool kit includes background information, needs assessment tools, implementation strategies, and evaluation guidance to provide students with access to drinking water as part of a healthy nutrition environment.
• Water in Schools
  Information on current requirements and suggestions for how to make free drinking water available in schools
• Drinking Water Best Management Practices: For Schools and Child Care Facilities With Their Own Drinking Water Source
  EPA’s guide for schools and child care facilities with their own well and classified as a public water system.
• Drinking Water Best Management Practices: For Schools and Child Care Facilities Served by Municipal Water Systems
  EPA’s guide for schools and child care facilities receiving water from water utilities or water suppliers such as cities, towns and water districts.

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Other Opportunities for Food at School and on Campus

Building Blocks for Fun and Healthy Meals

A menu planner that provides tools to successfully prepare and serve meals and snacks in CACFP. Complete with sample menus, guidance on keeping and using production records, and information on food safety and sanitation.

 

Available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/building-blocks

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Nutrition Education

Guide to Professional Standards for School Nutrition Programs

This easy-to-use booklet is designed to help State agencies, school food authorities, and school nutrition professionals understand and apply the Final Rule on Professional Standards for School Nutrition Programs Personnel.

 

Available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/guide-professional-standards-school-nutrition-programs

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Nutrition Education

Launch Your Day with Breakfast Stickers

Colorful 2” stickers to use as part of your school breakfast promotion events. Available to Team Nutrition Schools.

 

Available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/launch-your-day-breakfast-stickers

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. School Breakfast

AAP Policy Statement: Snacks, Sweetened Beverages, Added Sugars and Schools

Concern over childhood obesity has generated a decade-long reformation of school nutrition policies. Courtesy of the Council on School Health, Committee on Nutrition.

 

Available at: http://www.milkmeansmore.org/pdf/schools/school_meals/AAP_Sweet_Sugar_Snacks.pdf

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events

Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children

Child care providers can create healthier environments for the children in their care with this collection of 15 tip sheets that are packed with practical nutrition information, serving suggestions, food safety tips, ideas to get kids moving, and more!  

 

Available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/nutrition-wellness-tips-young-children

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Nutrition Education
3. Preschool and Young Children

2015-2016 Income Guidelines for Free and Reduced Price School Meals

The 2015-16 guidelines for determining free and reduced price school meals.

 

Available at: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/2015-16+Income+Guidelines_-_Press_Release_498686_7.pdf

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Nutrition Education

Kicking of The Day Right!

A 20-slide PowerPoint presentation that outlines the importance of school breakfast. (Scroll 2/3 down the page.)

 

Available at: http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-66254_50144_73101---,00.html

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. School Breakfast

Summer Food, Summer Moves

A fun, hands-on resource kit designed to get kids and families excited about healthy eating and physical activity during the summer months. Includes lesson plans, posters and promotional flyers. Designed for use by summer meal site operators.

 

Available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/summer-food-summer-moves

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Other Opportunities for Food at School and on Campus

Smarter Lunchroom Training Materials

A collection of training materials in multiple formats including Webinars, lesson plans, “No Time to Train” PowerPoints and more. 

 

Available at: http://smarterlunchrooms.org/training-materials

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Smarter Lunchroom Resources

Healthy School Snacks Promote Student Nutrition

An April 2016 update from Pew Charitable Trusts on school snacks policies. The good news: a decrease in the amount of fat, sugar, and calories that students consume.

 

Available at: http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/analysis/2016/04/26/healthy-school-snacks-promote-student-nutrition?sl&utm_campaign=2016-04-28+KSHF+-+Non+GA+version&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Pew

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Snacks

Summer Meals Toolkit

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For indiviudals and organizations interested in serving as Summer Meal Champions at any level of program administration. Includes program resources, best practices, tips for getting the word out through community-based outreach and more.

 

Available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/summer-meals-toolkit

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Other Opportunities for Food at School and on Campus

Summer Meals Webinar

Summer Meals Program experts, partners, and special speakers provide resources, technical guidance examples, and best practices to make Summer Meals Programs a success.

 

Available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/2015-summer-meals-webinars

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Other Opportunities for Food at School and on Campus

Chef Designed School Breakfast

A resource designed to:  promote the importance of breakfast,  provide information on alternate breakfast serving style options, offer recipes that appeal to students’ tastes and meet the National School Breakfast (SBP) Meal Pattern (implemented July 1, 2013) and, encourage cost control requirements by utilizing USDA Foods (USDA Commodities)

 

Available at: https://sde.idaho.gov/cnp/shared/Chef-Designed-Breakfast-Book.pdf
 

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. School Breakfast

Discover School Breakfast Toolkit

 For those who have an interest in increasing access to the School Breakfast Program, determining the type of meal service most suited to their needs, and developing a marketing plan that will capture and keep their customers.

 

Available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/sbp/discover-school-breakfast-toolkit

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. School Breakfast

Start School with Breakfast: A Guide to Increasing School Beakfast Participation

A guide that seeks to promote alternative breakfast service models—breakfast in the classroom, grab n’ go and 2nd chance breakfast, among others—to educators, school professionals and those associated with the school community. 

 

Available at: http://neahealthyfutures.org/wpcproduct/start-school-with-breakfast-a-guide-to-increasing-school-breakfast-participation/

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. School Breakfast

Tools for Schools: Serving Whole Grain-Rich

A collection of policy guidance, resources and recipes to help foodservice directors serve whole grain-rich foods.

 

Available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/healthierschoolday/tools-schools-serving-whole-grain-rich

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. School Breakfast

Fact Sheets for Healthier School Meals

A collection of fact sheets developed by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service to help schools implement the major recommendations from the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the nutrition foundation for all school meals programs.

 

 

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Smarter Lunchroom Resources

Chef Designed School Lunch

A resource to help schools use a variety of USDA Commodities, meet the USDA Meal Pattern (implemented July 1, 2012) for Grades K-8 and 9-12, provide a two-week cycle menu that utilizes four to nine different USDA Foods per meal to minimize school food costs, and appeal to students’ preferences and tastes while incorporating a wide variety of healthy foods.

 

Available at: https://sde.idaho.gov/cnp/shared/Chef-Designed-School-Lunch.pdf

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Smarter Lunchroom Resources

Comfortable Cafeterias

A PDF of a PowerPoint Webinar that explains how pleasant and positive mealtimes at school can set the stage for better learning, better behavior, and improved health.

 

Available at: https://www.educateiowa.gov/sites/files/ed/documents/1213_np_sw_comfortablecafeteriawebinarslides.pdf

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Smarter Lunchroom Resources

Fruits and Vegetables Galore: Helping Kids Eat More

A tool for school foodservice professionals packed with tips on planning, purchasing, protecting, preparing, presenting and promoting fruits and vegetables.

 

Available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/fruits-vegetables-galore-helping-kids-eat-more

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Smarter Lunchroom Resources

Recipes for Healthy Kids: Cookbook for Schools

A large-quantity cookbook that features foods both children and adults should consume more of: dark green and orange vegetables, dry beans and peas, and whole grains. Print copies free to schools and child care centers.

 

Available at :http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/recipes-healthy-kids-cookbook-schools

1. Step 3: Gather
2. Foods at School and School Sponsored Events
3. Smarter Lunchroom Resources

Increasing Access to Drinking Water in Schools

A tool kit to be used by school health councils, nutrition services providers, principals, teachers, parents, and other school staff who are interested in increasing access to drinking water in schools.

 

Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/npao/pdf/Water_Access_in_Schools.pdf

1. Local Wellness Policy
2. Create a Local Wellness Policy