Make The Switch: How To Talk With Principals About Healthy Fundraising

1.28.15 The Curious Case of School Snacks

Polls show that 80 percent of parents are concerned with the state of children’s health and 74 percent with childhood obesity. Smart Snacks is one way that schools are addressing this national issue.

Over the last six months, we’ve heard “the good, the bad and the ugly” about adjusting food items in vending machines, cafeteria à la carte, school stores, and fundraisers. We know that schools are finding creative ways to offer healthier options and maintain needed revenue; but not everyone has solved the challenges associated with school snack foods.

In order to celebrate the successes that some have achieved and to help those still figuring out their healthy food path, we need to hear from YOU!

That’s why we recently launched the National Schools Contest, “The Smart Snacks Roundup” so that you could share your story with others.

Here are some starter ideas to spark your creativity:

• PE teacher makes two minute video about healthy cafeteria choices, asking students’ what they like.
• Math class takes photos of vending machines and tabulates the healthy and unhealthy options in order to graphs the results.
• English student writes persuasive letter to the editor about healthy school food.
• PTA captures videos of the dance night fundraiser that replaced selling candy.
• Principal takes photo with student at school store, as they debut healthy breakfast shakes that supplanted fast food biscuits.
• Cafeteria staff writes about how students are approaching the new à la carte lunch items.
• Art class shows off their new food advertising campaign to encourage purchasing water in the vending machines instead of sports drinks.
• First graders present healthy food choices during lunch on the morning announcements.
• High-school seniors launch a fun-run to raise money for a class trip.

Tell us what’s happening at your school and share the fun!

What Makes a School Food SMART?

Beginning this fall, school snacks and meals will become even more nutritious thanks to new Smart Snacks guidelines being implemented in schools nationwide.

But what makes these foods so smart? And how can school employees and families be sure foods meet these new healthy standards?

On Monday, May 12 at 8 pm Eastern, join Bag the Junk, the NEA Health Information Network and MomsRising for a webinar exploring what Smart Snacks will mean for teens and kids.

We’ll answer your questions, and share resources, tips and ideas for making Smart Snacks a simple choice for today’s busy students!

Don’t miss out on this Smart Snacks webinar – register today!

Making the Switch: Healthy School Fundraisers

For years, school fundraisers have centered around junk food – either asking students to sell candy to their family and neighbors, or by motivating students to sell by tempting them with junk food prizes.

But many schools are turning to healthier alternatives, which not only can be just as profitable, but help support healthy habits parents try to instill at home.

Making a change in your local school is really as simple as 1-2-3! It all starts with a conversation. Check out Bag the Junk’s blog post on how to make the switch.

4 Super Dips for Football Fans

This week on BagtheJunk.org, NEA HIN’s sister website dedicated to all things healthy school food…

4 Super Dips for Football Fans

For many football fans, delicious food is an essential part of the watch party. Instead of the usual greasy fare, whip up these tasty and heart-healthy dips and be the MVP of your party!

Help Yourself, Kids!

Sometimes letting kids serve themselves can end up making mealtime look like a modern art exhibit! But some nutritionists believe that allowing your kids to help themselves to an array of nutritious family-style dishes can help them make better choices when it comes to portion size.

We hope you enjoy reading our blog this week, and look forward to seeing you here next week!

Bag the Junk Highlights

This week on BagtheJunk.org, NEA HIN’s sister website dedicated to all things healthy school food…

• Did You Know? YOU Can Help Draft Local School Wellness Policy shows how educators and parents can get involved in their school wellness committee and help shape policies that affect student’s health and well being.  

We hope you enjoy reading our blog this week, and look forward to seeing you here next Thursday!

Bag the Junk Highlights

Here’s the weekly roundup from BagtheJunk.org, NEA HIN’s sister website dedicated to all things healthy school food:

• How to Burn Calories While Filling Your Holiday Shopping Bags shares six easy ways you can fit in some exercise while completing your holiday shopping this month.  
• Shake Off Empty Calories with These Tasty, Nutritious Substitutions suggests six tasty and healthy alternatives to sugary, high fat foods that are so common to the holiday season.

We hope you enjoy reading our blogs this week. We will be on a hiatus for the holidays until January 9, 2014, hope you have a happy and healthy holiday season!

Bag the Junk Highlights

Here’s the weekly roundup from BagtheJunk.org, NEA HIN’s sister website dedicated to all things healthy school food:

• Star Power: Celebrities Encourage Kids to Exercise and Eat Right details how star athletes, musicians and chefs are inspiring students to develop healthy habits.
• The Fight Against Fast Food Advertising & Childhood Obesity provides a look into the latest research on the prevalence of fast food advertisements and how you can protect kids from unhealthy marketing both in and out of school.

We hope you enjoy reading our blogs this week, and look forward to seeing you here next Thursday!

Bag the Junk Highlights

Here’s the weekly roundup from BagtheJunk.org, NEA HIN’s sister website dedicated to all things healthy school food:

• Top Tips for a Healthy, Happy Thanksgiving offers our four favorite ways to enjoy the food-centric holiday, both at home and in the classroom.
• State Spotlight: Utah Schools Teach Kids Lifelong Healthy Habits shares how schools in the Beehive State encourage kids to eat better through competitions, taste tests, and nutritious spins on favorite recipes.

We hope you enjoy reading our blogs this week, and look forward to seeing you here next Thursday!

Bag the Junk Weekly Highlights

Here’s the weekly roundup from BagtheJunk.org, NEA HIN’s sister website dedicated to all things healthy school food:

• Ready, Set, Cook! Healthy, Kid-Friendly Dishes for School and Home shares fun recipes that are sure to get kids excited about healthy eating.
• Farm to School Programs Help Sow the Seeds for Healthy Kids outlines successful local farm to school programs and resources for how you can get started.

We hope you enjoy reading our blogs this week, and look forward to seeing you here next Thursday!

No Tricks Here: Three Treats for a Healthy Halloween

Candy-filled holidays like Halloween don’t have to totally derail healthy habits. With a little creativity, educators and parents can easily put a healthier twist on traditional spooky treats and activities. Read on for three fun ways to encourage trick-or-treaters to exercise and eat healthy:

1. Serve a healthy breakfast. Kids are bound to eat at least some sugary snacks on Halloween, making it more important than ever for them to start the day right with one of these healthy, hearty breakfast ideas:

• Banana “ghosts” and clementine “pumpkins”: A nutritious and whimsical Halloween-twist on fruit from Produce for Kids’ Pinterest page: http://bit.ly/19Xuaay
• Pumpkin fruit buffet: Offer a variety of fresh fruit options like orange slices, blueberries, strawberries and grapes in a fun pumpkin shape. Check out the recipe from Matoaka Elementary PTA in Williamsburg, Virginia on Pinterest: http://bit.ly/1a1j2Ny
• Halloween pancakes: Add some orange food-coloring to this Health.com recipe for healthy pancakes made with applesauce, walnuts and golden raisins. For an extra touch, pour the batter into a jack-o-lantern shaped cookie cutter.

2. Consider healthy or non-food treats in the classroom. Parents and educators can serve healthier treats in the classroom to get kids excited about Halloween without the unnecessary sugar from candy. The first two breakfast recipes above could serve as great healthy Halloween classroom snacks. Some other favorite recipes are below:

• Spider deviled eggs: Hardboiled eggs are a protein powerhouse! This recipe adds black olives for a “creepy-crawly” touch.
• Bat bites: These cheese chunk, grape and tortilla chip “bats” are a fun, savory alternative to candy bars.
• Pepper and Orange “Pumpkins”: Carve a face into an orange bell pepper and use it as a veggie cup for carrot sticks and a dollop of your favorite low-fat dip.

For educators looking for non-food prizes for classroom Halloween games or parents seeking substitutes for sugary trick-or-treating goodies, check out this comprehensive list from Clemson University Cooperative Extensive Service, which include goodies like glow sticks and temporary tattoos: http://bit.ly/18B0yRO.

3. Encourage kids to move around during the school day. Educators can integrate physical activity into Halloween parties by organizing a “parade” through different classrooms or even around the school’s neighborhood. For young students, teachers can play Halloween songs throughout the day and encourage kids to get up and dance for two to three minute bursts of activity. For more tips on bringing healthy messaging into the classroom, check out this blog from Bag the Junk and put your own Halloween twist on the activities.

How are you celebrating a healthy Halloween at home and at school? Tweet us @NEAHIN, write on our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.

Editors note: This blog was adapted from a recent post on NEA HIN’s sister site, BagtheJunk.org.

Weekly Roundup from Bag the Junk

Here’s the weekly roundup from BagtheJunk.org, NEA HIN’s sister website dedicated to all things healthy school food:

• National School Lunch Week Shines a Spotlight on Healthy School Food shares creative and fun ways schools across the country are celebrating National School Lunch Week and getting kids excited about healthy school foods.
• Signs of Progress and Challenges Ahead details recent research and provides examples of schools that are making progress in limiting students access to junk foods and sugary beverages at school.

We hope you enjoy reading our blogs this week, and look forward to seeing you here next Thursday!

Weekly Roundup from Bag the Junk

Here’s the weekly roundup from BagtheJunk.org, NEA HIN’s sister website dedicated to all things healthy school food:

• Snack Attack! The Negative Impact of Unhealthy Snack Foods and Drinks on Student Health is the second blog in our three-part series on “competitive foods” in schools. In this installment we cover how junk foods and sugary drinks affect kids’ health and ability to learn in school.
• How Schools Can Eliminate Unhealthy Snack Foods and Drinks is the final blog in our three-part series. In this installment we suggest three simple policy options schools can enact to create healthier school environments.

We hope you enjoy reading our blogs this week, and look forward to seeing you here next Thursday!

Weekly Roundup from Bag the Junk

Here’s the weekly roundup from BagtheJunk.org, NEA HIN’s sister website dedicated to all things healthy school food.

• #FoodFri Recap: Top Tactics for Nudging Kids Toward Healthier Foods at School shares highlights from our recent twitter chat with MomsRising, including more than 25 ways schools can subtly encourage students to choose healthy options.
• Another Reason to Turn off the TV: Protect Kids from Unhealthy Marketing describes some of the impacts that food advertisements can have on kids, and two ways adults can help limit kids’s exposure to this type of advertising.

We hope you enjoy reading our blog posts, and look forward to seeing you here next Thursday!

Weekly Roundup from Bag the Junk

Here’s the weekly roundup from BagtheJunk.org, NEA HIN’s sister website dedicated to all things healthy school food.

• Boost Kids Brainpower with a Nutritious Breakfast provides tips for educators and parents about how to put a healthy, tasty spin on the most important meal of the day.
• Getting Your PTA on Board with Healthy Fundraising shares helpful ideas and resources to get support for healthy changes from your local Parent Teacher Association (PTA).
• Cities and School Districts Launch Healthy Kids’ Initiatives takes a closer look at how the city of Philadelphia and a Florida school district are successfully fighting childhood obesity at the local level.  

We hope you enjoy reading our blog posts, and look forward to seeing you here next Thursday!

Weekly Roundup from Bag the Junk

Here’s the weekly roundup from BagtheJunk.org, NEA HIN’s sister website dedicated to all things healthy school food.

• Cut Back on Sugar But Don’t Fear the Fruit highlights how food service professionals from across the country are finding innovative ways to prepare and serve healthy fruits to students
• Fall Back to a Healthier Routine offers tools and tips from the We Can!® program on making each day healthier for you, your family and your students.
• School Gardens Plant the Seeds for Life-Long Healthy Habits shows how digging into school gardens can increase students access to and interest in fresh produce.

We hope you enjoy reading our blog posts, and look forward to seeing you here next Thursday!

Healthy School Food Victory: NEA HIN and other School Health Leaders Weigh In

Its official! Stakeholders from various sectors – educators, parents, policymakers, health experts and industry representatives – all agree that healthy school food is a win-win for both schools and the students and communities they serve. NEA HIN recently issued a statement applauding the U.S. Department of Agriculture on its release of the “Smart Snacks in School” standards, which will require schools to swap donuts, chocolate bars and sugary drinks for fruits, veggies and lower calorie beverages.

Today we’re thrilled to announce that we have been featured with a group of prominent experts by the Kids’ Safe & Healthful Foods Project for speaking out about the issue. To read statements from all the leaders, including First Lady Michelle Obama, visit: http://www.healthyschoolfoodsnow.org/kshf/.

To learn more about NEA HIN’s work to support healthy school food, visit our sister website, BagtheJunk.org, which seeks to educate, mobilize and empower members of the school community to take action for healthier school snacks and beverages. The website features success stories from schools already offering healthier options as well as free resources and tips on organizing for change. The site also features blog posts from experts and research the national movement to prevent childhood obesity. Support for the website was provided by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Weekly Roundup from Bag the Junk

Happy August!

Here’s the weekly roundup from BagtheJunk.org, NEA HIN’s sister website dedicated to all things healthy school food.

• Healthy Fundraising Ideas: Host a Scavenger Hunt Instead of Selling Sweets offers easy ideas for how you can “bag the bake sale” in favor of creative, active fundraising activities.
• Summer Challenge: Cut Down Your TV Time challenges readers to cut down on time spent on computers, TV and cell phones and suggests strategies to ease the transition.

We hope you enjoy reading our blog posts this week and look forward to seeing you here next Thursday!

Weekly Roundup from Bag the Junk

Here’s the weekly roundup of new blogs on BagtheJunk.org, NEA HIN’s sister website dedicated to all things healthy school food:

• Healthy School Victory: USDA Rule Limits Unhealthy Food in Schools shares information about the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new “Smart Snacks in School” nutrition standards. Starting in the 2014-15 school year, these standards will ensure all students have access to healthier snack and drink options at school.
• Rainy Day Thoughts: Ballet Dancers, Textbooks, and Student Health provides one school advocate’s perspective on how health messages in the classroom can translate into students leading healthier lifestyles.

We hope you enjoy reading our blog posts, and look forward to seeing you here next Thursday!

Another Great Day at the Expo!

What a great day we had today!   We met over 600 additional educators in the Hall of Health and Safety.  We gave away hundreds of publications and our partners reached thousands of NEA members with valuable information and resources.  You can see our pictures on Facebook and Twitter.   And don’t forget to visit Bag the Junk on Facebook to see all the wonderful carrot pictures in support of healthy school food.  They will be up next week. 

Thanks to everyone who visited and stopped to join the health and safety movement.  We will be working hard all year to make sure that every student and educator has a safe school environment and can make healthy choices every day.  

See you next year in Denver. 

NEA Health Information Network Applauds USDA Release of Smart Snacks in School Final Rule

NEA Health Information Network (NEA HIN) applauds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on its timely release of the “Smart Snacks in School” interim final rule, which sets nutrition standards for all snacks and beverages sold in schools. These standards move us one step closer to making sure all foods and beverages sold in school are healthy choices. Updates to school meals that were made last year, accompanied by these important updates to foods and beverages sold in vending machines, school stores and alongside school meals in the cafeteria, will benefit millions of children across the country.

“Replacing junk food and sugary drinks with healthy options will be a win-win—for students and for schools,” said NEA HIN Executive Director Jerry Newberry. “NEA HIN is encouraging school employees to help implement the national standards. We also urge states and school districts to enact complementary standards that are customized to meet the needs of their students.”

NEA HIN recently launched a website, BagtheJunk.org, to educate, mobilize and empower members of the school community to take action for healthier school snacks and beverages. The website features success stories from schools already offering healthier options as well as free resources and tips on organizing for change. The site also features blog posts from experts and research on school foods and the national movement to prevent childhood obesity. Support for the website was provided by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

For more information on the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, and to read the interim final rule, visit: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Legislation/allfoods.htm

Weekly Roundup from Bag the Junk

Starting today and continuing weekly every Thursday, we’re going to give you a peek into what’s going on at BagtheJunk.org, NEA HIN’s sister website dedicated to all things healthy school food.

Here’s a round up of two recent blog posts:

• Counting Apples Instead of Cupcakes talks about new voluntary guidelines to encourage education publishers to incorporate more healthy behavior messaging into school textbooks and curriculum resources. In addition, we highlight nine ways that you can incorporate healthy eating and physical activity into your own classroom lessons next year.
• The Art of the Nudge shares how simple changes to the school environment (think putting healthy foods at eye level in the cafeteria) can help make the healthy choice the easiest choice for students.

We hope you enjoy reading our posts, and look forward to seeing you here next Thursday!

How do you like them apples?

Every day, about 40 percent of students buy snacks at school, and nearly 70 percent buy sugary drinks. Many snacks and drinks available for sale at school — through vending machines, à la carte lines, school stores and fundraisers — are high in calories, fat, sugar, and salt, and low in nutritional value.

That’s why in February 2013, for the first time in 30 years, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposed national nutrition standards for all foods and drinks sold on school campuses. As required by the federal rulemaking process, the proposed standards were open for public comment through April 9.

NEA HIN weighed in to express our belief that strong nutrition standards for all foods and beverages sold in schools will make help improve the diet and long-term health of millions of children across the country.  In particular, NEA HIN supports:

• Having standards that apply to all snacks and beverages sold in schools, across the school campus, and throughout the school day (until at least 30 minutes after the last class ends).
• The sale of foods that limit calories, fats, sugars, and salt, as well as provide a positive nutritional benefit, such as be a fruit, vegetable, or whole grain, or naturally contain meaningful amounts of a nutrient of priority public health concern (i.e., calcium, potassium, vitamin D, or dietary fiber).
• Disallowing the sale of sugary drinks, like full-calorie sodas and sports drinks, during the school day.
• Requiring that all beverages sold in elementary, middle and high schools are caffeine-free, consistent with Institute of Medicine recommendations.
• Having potable water readily accessible to students at no charge during school lunch and breakfast meal service.
• Allowing states and local schools to put in place additional or stronger standards for snack foods and beverages sold in schools, as long as those standards are consistent with the minimum federal standards.

Highlights from NEA HIN’s comments were mentioned in a recent Education Week article, and readers can view our full comment by clicking here.

If you’re interested in learning about how to take action for healthier foods and drinks in your school, please visit our sister site, www.BagtheJunk.org, which has free information, resources, and advocacy tools for readers.