Join
the Team!
Eat Smart.
Play Hard.
TM
Is your program considering how to improve the nutrition and physical activity environment for students?
If
the answer is YES, then join the growing number of Child Nutrition Programs
across Iowa that are signing up to be a TEAM Nutrition program.
TEAM Nutrition provides resources and support to programs that are
committed to improving the nutrition and physical activity choices of students.
Many of you have heard about the USDA’s TEAM Nutrition through the various grants and activities that have been ongoing in Iowa over the last seven years. For those of you that may not have had an active part in these plans here is some background information. TEAM Nutrition is an integrated, behavior based, comprehensive plan for promoting the nutritional health of the Nation’s children. This plan involves Child Nutrition Programs, parents, and the community in efforts to continuously improve program meals, and to promote the health and education of 50 million children in more than 96,000 programs nationwide. TEAM Nutrition’s goal is to improve children’s lifelong eating and physical activity habits by using the principles of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Food Guide Pyramid.
►
You can become
part of a network of programs leading change around the country by signing up to
become a TEAM Nutrition Program. You
will immediately receive a free start-up kit from the United States Department
of Agriculture (USDA). You’ll
also receive electronic TEAM Nutrition newsletters from USDA and the Iowa
Department of Education that will keep you informed about new resources and
success stories from programs across the nation and state.
►
Iowa is unique
in that all Child Nutrition Programs including the Child and Adult Care Feeding
Program, Summer Food Service Program, and National School Lunch Program, are
eligible to be a Team Nutrition participant.
Team Nutrition enrollment, resources, mini-grant awards, and recognition
are available to all programs.
►
$500
mini-grants are available to assist programs that want to enhance nutrition
education, expand physical activity options, make policy changes regarding food
and physical activity in programs or conduct events to promote healthy eating
and physical activity. Mini-grant
forms and examples are available at: http://www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/fn/tn/documents.html
. Contact Janet Wendland at janet.wendland@iowa.gov
to see if you qualify.
►
Be recognized
as a program that is promoting a Healthy Nutrition Environment.
Nutrition-related diseases are compromising the present and future health
of our children. Child Nutrition
Programs have a major role to play in addressing these trends.
Programs that enhance nutrition education, expand physical activity
options, make policy changes regarding food and physical activity in centers or
schools and conduct events to promote healthy eating and physical activity will
be recognized. Programs may be
recognized by an Eat Smart award for nutrition events, or Play Hard
award for physical activity events. For
an event that demonstrates comprehensive nutrition and physical activity ideas a
Power Panther award is available. Applications for these awards are due in the spring of each
year and you can go to: http://www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/fn/tn/documents.html
to
download the Eat Smart. Play Hard. Power Panther application form.
Where
can you go to join TEAM Nutrition and get lots of resources and
information?
Contact Janet
Wendland at janet.wendland@iowa.gov 515-281-5676 to
enroll in TEAM Nutrition. The following USDA web site explains what you receive when
you enroll*.
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Join/index.htm
*We
request that you enroll by contacting Janet Wendland at the Iowa Bureau of
Nutrition Programs not via the USDA web site. She will forward your enrollment information to the USDA.
You will still receive the materials, but enrolling through the Iowa
Bureau of Nutrition Programs and School Transportation insures you are on the
Iowa database sooner to receive additional Iowa resources.
For additional
resources try this web site: www.fns.usda.gov/tn/.
Programs will find ideas for program activities that have already been
used, an on-line catalog of resource materials—many that can be downloaded,
and a resource page created for nutrition educators.
Parents can find healthy recipes, a ten-step guide for parents to
encourage healthy eating at program and fun nutrition-related activities for the
whole family. Students are also
encouraged to go to this site to find a special student section designed by
middle program students to provide an interactive approach to learning about
their health and nutrition.
Other Online Resources
Team Nutrition
curriculum and resources website: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/
Information on
developing Local Wellness Policy and other
related resources can be found at this Team Nutrition website: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Healthy/wellnesspolicy.html
Healthy School Nutrition
Environments information and resources can be found at:
http://schoolmeals.nal.usda.gov/Resource/schoolhealth.htm
HealthierUS
Program Challenge information on
certification and recognition can be found at:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/HealthierUS/index.htm
Changing
the Scene: Improving the School
Nutrition Environment. Tool Kit.
September 2000. United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition
Service. 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1010. Alexandria, VA 22302. Website: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Healthy/changing.html
Fit,
Healthy and Ready to Learn.
Part 1: Physical Activity, Healthy Eating, and Tobacco-Use Prevention.
Chapter E: Policies to Promote Healthy Eating.
National Association of State Boards of Education. Website: http://www.nasbe.org
Included as part of the Changing the Scene Tool Kit.
School
Health Index for Physical Activity and Healthy Eating: A Self-Assessment and
Planning Guide.
2004. Website: www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/SHI
Making
it Happen: School Nutrition Success Stories.
Website: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Healthy/execsummary_makingithappen.html
ISU
Extension
website: www.extension.iastate.edu/nutrition
Click
on "Ask the Specialist" and at bottom of page for Nutrition Staff
Directory
Action
for Healthy Kids
(AFHK) organization website http://www.actionforhealthykids.org
National
Association of School Boards
http://www.nasbe.org
Center
for Science in the Public Interest
Case Studies website: http://www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/improved_school_foods_without_losing_revenue2.pdf
Program
Foods Tool Kit: A Guide to Improving Program Foods and Beverages.
Part 1. Sept.
2003. Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), Nutrition Policy
Project, 1875 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20009. Website: http://cspinet.org/schoolfood/index.html
Dispensing
Junk: How Program Vending Undermines Efforts to Feed Children Well.
May 2004. Center for Science
in the Public Interest. (CSPI), 1875 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20009.
Eat
Smart, Move More
(North Carolina) website: http://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/ESMMmaterials/SchoolFoodsStandards.pdf
Michigan
State University Extension
website http://www.tn.fcs.msue.msu.edu/foodrewards.pdf
Michigan
Team Nutrition Healthy School Nutrition Environment Checklist
website: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Healthy/MI_checklist.pdf
Keys
to Excellence:
Standard of Practice for Nutrition Integrity website http://www.schoolnutrition.org/KEYS.aspx?ID=1158