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Food Services & Nutrition

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Click here for other great recipe and menu ideas!

Consultants and advisors are available for you.

The Missouri Healthy Schools team includes experienced professionals who are available to answer your questions, provide training, and support your decision-making.  Your consultants for Food Services & Nutrition are:
  • Lisa (Farmer) Lauer, M.S.Ed - Senior Nutritionist - Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
  • Barbara Shaw - Nutrition Program Specialist - Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

​Contact Project Manager Anna Trainer, MPH with general inquiries.     
click here to sign-up for MHS updates

Downloads, webinars and videos

BRAND NEW RESOURCE
MHS #OnTheMoveMO -
School Success Story at Charleston R-1 School District
>> Main topics: In this #OnTheMoveMO School Success Stories video we spotlighted the amazing Charleston R-1 School District story of the new physical education and playground equipment, healthy school nutrition program, and the community impact of students receiving hygiene and food pantry items.
Provided 5.24.22
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MHS #OnTheMoveMO - Kennet School District #39 "America's Healthiest Schools Success Story
>> Main topics: Our New Missouri Healthy Schools #OnTheMoveMO School Success Stories video features the Kennett School District #39 in the #Bootheel as all their schools have been awarded “America’s Healthiest Schools” by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation for prioritizing nutrition, physical activity & strong wellness policies. #PBIS
>> Watch the video above or click on the link here
Provided 4.11.22
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BRAND NEW RESOURCE
Study: Prediabetes rates rise among teens
​>> Main topics: The number of US adolescents with prediabetes increased from 12% between 1999 and 2002 to 28% between 2015 and 2018, according to a study in JAMA Pediatrics. Data on almost 6,600 youth ages 12 to 19 showed that those who lived in poverty were more likely to develop prediabetes.
  • Read more here
Provided 4.4.22
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Promoting Specialty Crops in Missouri Schools
​>> Main topics: The Missouri Grown Program is offering up to $1,000 in reimbursement to registered Missouri school districts & early childcare education centers to cover the cost of specialty crops. Please view the infographic below to learn more.
  • Learn more about Missouri Grown Program here
Provided 3.9.22
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CDC: More teens seen in EDs for eating disorders in 2020
​>> Main topics: Emergency department visits resulting from eating disorders doubled among adolescent girls from March to October 2020, according to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Eating disorder specialist Allison Chase attributes the increase, in part, to the fear and anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the isolation of lockdowns, and clinical psychologist Erin Parks says additional factors may include greater use of social media as well as food insecurity among families with financial issues.
  • Read more here
Provided 3.9.22
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USDA Report Underscores the Urgent Need to Extend Child Nutrition Waivers
​>> Main topics: Congress must provide the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with the authority to continue child nutrition waivers through the 2022-2023 school year in the appropriations package currently being negotiated and expected to pass this week.   These waivers have been critical in supporting school nutrition operations so that children have access to school and summer meals throughout the pandemic, and they are still needed as schools and families recover from and respond to the economic, health, and educational fallout from the pandemic.  
A report released today by the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service underscores the negative impact of supply chain disruptions and staffing challenges on school nutrition programs during the 2021-2022 school year. The report also found that nearly 90 percent of school districts used the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) waiver to serve meals for school year 2021-2022, which allows schools to offer all students meals at no charge and provides higher reimbursement rates which have been needed to support nutrition finances during the pandemic. 

  • USDA echo FRAC’s The Reach of Breakfast and Lunch: A Look at Pandemic and Pre-Pandemic Participation report
The Food Research & Action Center improves the nutrition, health, and well-being of people struggling against poverty-related hunger in the United States through advocacy, partnerships, and by advancing bold and equitable policy solutions.

Provided 3.7.22
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USDA Helps Schools Build Back Better, Issues Transitional Nutrition Standards for Coming School Years
​>> Main topics: The new final rule – Child Nutrition Programs: Transitional Standards for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium – establishes the following requirements beginning SY 2022-2023:
  • Milk: Schools and child care providers serving participants ages six and older may offer flavored low-fat (1%) milk in addition to nonfat flavored milk and nonfat or low-fat unflavored milk;
  • Whole Grains: At least 80% of the grains served in school lunch and breakfast each week must be whole grain-rich; and
  • Sodium: The weekly sodium limit for school lunch and breakfast will remain at the current level in SY 2022-2023. For school lunch only, there will be a 10% decrease in the limit in SY 2023-2024. This aligns with the U.S Food and Drug Administration’s recently released guidance that establishes voluntary sodium reduction targets for processed, packaged, and prepared foods in the U.S..
>> For more background about school meals and the rulemaking process ahead, please explore these resources:
  • Webpage: Building Back Better with School Meals
  • Fact Sheet: Child Nutrition Programs: Transitional Standards for Milk, Whole Grains and Sodium
  • Infographic: The Road Ahead: Building Back Better with School Meals
  • Infographic: Ten Reasons to Build Back Even Better with School Meals!
Provided 2.4.22
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Improving School Meal Consumption
​>> Main topics:
The UCONN Rudd Center recently published an infographic highlighting 7 effective strategies for improving school meal consumption. These findings are based on a systematic review published by Dr. Juliana Cohen and co-authors.
Dr. Cohen and Dr. Erin Hager recently presented on this paper on the NOPREN School Wellness Working Group call and their presentation was recorded and saved on the NOPREN web site.
 
The infographic is a great technical assistance piece for state funded partners and have also included the links for the paper and presentation if folks are interested in learning more about the findings.
>> Infographic
Provided 1.15.22
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Districts in 6 states add "wellness days" to calendar
​>> Main topics:
Over 20 school districts in at least six states have altered school schedules this year to include "wellness days," which will allow for longer breaks for the Thanksgiving holiday. Kansas City Public Schools is among them, and Superintendent Mark Bedell says he hopes the additional days help students and staff recharge.
>> Read more here

Provided 11.24.21
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Promote Holiday Food Safety
​>> Main topics:
The holiday season is just around the corner. This communications toolkit will help you to start conversations on food safety during the holidays!
Access shareable resources, social media graphics, and sample social media posts you can use in your own outreach channels.
Provided 11.18.21
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Thanksgiving Food Safety Essentials
​>> Main topics:
As you're helping families this holiday season, let us help you with these free resources. No matter the size of the gathering, these safe food handling tips will help keep your community healthy!
Share these materials in your outreach and on social media:
  • 11 Tips for a Safe Thanksgiving Meal Flyer in English and Spanish!
  • Classic Roast Turkey recipe includes food safety instructions, turkey weights, and cook times!
  • Holiday Meal Flyer to decode turkey thawing and cooking times — you'll need a food thermometer!
  • Spanish language resources, including videos, printable flyers, recipes, and social media graphics!
  • The Story of Your Dinner downloadable resources, recipes, videos, and more!
Provided 11.18.21
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A Healthy Eating Affair at Northview Elementary
​>> Main topics: The Missouri Healthy Schools (S.H.I.) Team and students @ Northview showcased their hard work as they learned about the importance of healthy eating habits. They even cultivated, served and sampled their own produce.
>> Dairy Donation Program
Provided 11.16.21
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USDA Establishes Dairy Donation Program
​>> Main topics: USDA Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh announced the establishment of a $400 million Dairy Donation Program (DDP). The establishment of DDP is part of $6 billion of pandemic assistance USDA announced in March. It is the second part of an over $2 billion comprehensive package to help the dairy industry recover from the pandemic and improve or establish programs to make it more resilient to future challenges.
>> Dairy Donation Program
Provided 10.28.21
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Growing School Gardens: Coast to Coast Virtual School Garden Tour & Activities
​>> Main topics: Students are invited to go on a journey through school gardens across the country -- from the Big Island of Hawai’i to Washington, DC -- with Growing School Gardens! Through this virtual tour students will be meeting with other students in diverse communities to engage in hands-on learning, growing healthy food for themselves and their communities, and becoming caretakers of their local environments.
>> Videos & activities
Provided 10.28.21
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Food Access and Nutrition
​>> Main topics: Improving Food Access and Nutrition  
Watch this 2-part training to identify best practices, action steps, and implementation strategies to support schools and districts in improving food access and nutrition in their communities. (60 min.) 

Provided 10.21.21
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Meal Distribution Communication Checklist
​>> Main topics: The Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Network (NOPREN) has created a Meal Distribution Communication checklist/assessment as a resource for school districts.  This is a self-assessment tool to help schools and school districts communicate with families, students, community members, and service agencies about school meal distribution during planned and unplanned school closures. The tool promotes the use of strategies that help ensure equitable access to these critical meal programs.

Provided 10.21.21
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Happy Farm to School Month!
​>> Main topics: Check out some great materials from the National Farm to School Network
Here are several easy ways to get involved:
  • Be Inspired: Follow the National Farm to School Network on our blog, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see inspiring examples of farm to school success and innovation.
  • Get Involved: Explore our national calendar of Farm to School Month events to see how you can celebrate in your state.
  • Spread the Word: Shout out about farm to school and share what you’re doing for National Farm to School Month with the hashtags #F2SMonthand #farmtoschool on social media.
  • Explore Resources: Check out our free resources for planning and promoting celebrations in your community, including our Farm to School Month Celebration Toolkit, customizable posters and bookmarks, stickers and more.
Provided 10.21.21
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Save the date. Upcoming events.

Read success stories and case studies. 

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