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Free Nutrition Resources for Your School

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Team Nutrition invites you to visit the new Team Nutrition Schools Network website! The Team Nutrition Schools Network is for schools participating in USDA’s National School Lunch Program that are interested in and working towards creating and sustaining healthy nutrition environments. Members of the network enjoy access to free nutrition education resources and promotional items, networking opportunities, and more.

Not a member? Join today at https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/schools! In January, Team Nutrition Schools will have the opportunity to request new nutrition message decals to display in their cafeterias. Don’t miss out!

Currently a member? Check the website to make sure they have the most updated information for your school, so that you can stay in the know with Team Nutrition. While you’re there, be sure to take a look at the new features, including:

Parents for Healthy Schools

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Parents have a powerful role in supporting children’s health and learning. Engaged parents help guide their children successfully through school, advocate for their children, and can help shape a healthy school environment. CDC has developed a set of resources called Parents for Healthy Schools to help schools and school groups (e.g., parent teacher associations (PTA), parent teacher organizations (PTO), school wellness committees) engage parents to create healthy school environments.

These resources will:

  • Educate parents about
    • School nutrition environment and services
    • School-based physical education and physical activity
    • Managing chronic health conditions in school settings
  • Provide parents with practical strategies and actions to improve the school health environment
  • Provide suggestions for ways to track progress in engaging parents in changing the school health environment.

Click here to access the Parents for Healthy Kids resources.

Go on a Grocery Field Trip

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Use grocery shopping to teach kids about food and nutrition. Talk about where vegetables, fruits, protein foods, dairy, and grains come from. Help them make healthy choices.

Healthy Recipes

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Looking for fun things to do with your kids for the remainder of the summer? Consider teaching them about the importance of a balanced diet and how to prepare nutritious meals. Explore a collection of simple, healthy recipes to try out with your kids as a collaborative summer activity!

Best Nutrition, Health, and Fitness Apps for Kids

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These health-focused apps, games, and sites give kids the straight dope on a host of essential and often taboo topics about bodies. They’ll be moving: practicing yoga, enhancing motor skills through teamwork, and analyzing sports techniques. Whether it’s in physical education (PE) and health class, or core content areas like science, students are sure to find the vital information they need to stay energized and active.

Get the list from Common Sense Media

CDC Launches Website on Infant and Toddler Nutrition

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Good nutrition during the first 2 years of life is vital for healthy growth and development. Children grow and develop every day. As they grow older, their nutrition needs change. Children with healthier eating patterns in their first year of life are more likely to have a healthier eating pattern later on. Yet too many children are not eating a healthy diet.

Among U.S. children between 1 to 2 years of age:

  • 15% are iron deficient,
  • Fewer than half ate a vegetable on a given day, and
  • More than 3 out of 10 children drank a sugar-sweetened beverage on a given day.

Credible information about infant and toddler nutrition is important for parents and caregivers. CDC is providing parents of young children with this nutrition information to help infants and toddlers get a healthy start in life.

CDC is releasing a website that brings together existing information and practical strategies on developing healthy eating patterns for infants and toddlers, from birth to 24 months of age.

Topics include:

  • Breastfeeding
  • Formula feeding
  • Essential vitamins & minerals
  • Introduction of solid foods
  • Foods and drinks to encourage
  • Tips on mealtime routines, …and more!

Celebrate Your School Lunch Hero

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School Nutrition Employee Week: May 2-6, 2016

Between preparing healthy meals for America’s students, adhering to strict nutrition standards, navigating student food allergies and offering service with a smile, school nutrition professionals are true heroes!

School Lunch Hero Day

School Lunch Hero Day is the first Friday in May – May 6, 2016.  Click here for ideas to celebrate your school lunch hero and share your pictures with us!

President’s Council’s Tortilla Scrambles

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eggsAdapted from the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition

#CookWithTheCouncil—Rachael Ray’s Tortilla Scrambles

Ingredients
2 cups yellow, blue, or whole grain tortilla chips, lightly crushed
Boiling water
2 tablespoons canola oil
6 eggs, beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or pepper Jack cheese, grated
1 cup tomato or tomatillo salsa or two seeded plum tomatoes, chopped

Directions

  1. Place the crushed corn chips in a bowl and just barely cover with boiling water. Let them sit until the chips are soft, a couple of minutes. Thoroughly drain the chips from the water.
  2. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with the oil. Combine the beaten eggs with some black pepper. Add the softened corn chips and stir to combine.
  3. Add the egg mixture to the skillet along with the cheddar cheese. Then, stir to combine and let it start to brown up on one side. Break up the egg mixture into four sections and flip each section to brown the second side, just a couple of minutes.
  4. Remove the four sections to serving plates and top with salsa or lots of chopped tomatoes.

Access the full recipe here: http://www.fitness.gov/blog-posts/cook-with-council-ray-tortilla-scrambles.html

10 Smoothies for Kids

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Kids smoothiesAdapted from Vitamix

Incorporating veggies into the family diet in subtle ways can help expand the palate and cultivate a taste for vegetables. Smoothies use the natural sweetness of fruit as the perfect disguise. Pineapple, orange, and grapes are particularly good smoothie ingredients to marry with vegetables. Apples can offset greens with a slight “bite” such as spinach. Cucumber adds a crisp finish without taking center stage. Try these recipes for nutrition that looks as wonderful as it tastes.

  1. Beet, Strawberry, Cranberry Smoothie
    Bright, beautiful, and bursting with flavor.
  2. Fruit Salad Smoothie
    Carrot and cucumber go incognito in this delicious medley of fruit.
  3. Gold Medal Smoothie
    Fresh fruit and carrot create a winning combination. Add protein powder for sustained energy when you’re on the go.
  4. All Green Smoothie
    Broccoli and greens are tucked neatly behind the sweetness of grapes, pear, avocado, and pineapple juice.
  5. Everything Smoothie
    With carrot, broccoli, spinach, and six different fruits, this recipe lives up to its name.

For smoothies 6-10, visit the Vitamix website.

Dr. Jayne’s Black Bean Burgers

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By: President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition

black-bean-burgers-32-560x366How do you like your burger? Consider ditching the traditional beef or turkey patty for a black bean burger. When the beans are smashed and mixed with just the right spice, you end up with a delicious alternative.

This substitution is also great for anyone looking for a healthy option without sacrificing taste. Black beans are low in fat, cholesterol-free, and provide 30% of the daily recommended amount of fiber.

Give this recipe a try and tell the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition how you like it! Be sure to share pictures on Twitter. Tag @FitnessGov and/or hashtag #CookWithTheCouncil

#CookWithTheCouncil – Dr. Jayne’s Black Bean Burgers!

Ingredients:

Burger Patties:

1 can of black beans drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 chopped cloves of fresh garlic

¼ cup diced sweet Vidalia onions

1 egg or 2 egg white (no yolk)

1 teaspoon of cumin

1 teaspoon of chili powder (if you like a bit of spice)

1 ½ cup bread crumbs

Other Ingredients:

Whole wheat hamburger buns

1 whole fresh avocado

Preparation:

  1. In a food processor, add all the burger patty ingredients. Carefully place the blended mixture in a bowl so that you can divide and make your black bean patties.
  2. Form your patties and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  3. Light the outdoor grill, or indoor electric grill, and brush lightly with olive oil.
  4. Place the Black Bean Burgers on the grill in either a grilling pan or some aluminum foil until firm. Finish off directly on the grill so they get those wonderful grill marks.
  5. While the Black Bean Burgers are cooking, gently slice into your avocado so that you can place the slices on your burger with any other condiment you desire.
  6. Slightly grill the whole wheat buns on the grill and they will be ready to build your burger.

VARIATION: You can change up the flavor of your black bean burger to your taste by the types of toppings you add. This can include lettuce and tomato, salsa, cheese, etc.