Recognizing the critical link between nutrition and learning is one thing, but how do we actually initiate long-lasting, successful change?

The secret to your success rests in community involvement and active participation. Your job is primarily to raise awareness of the needs and concerns, then empower others to make the needed changes.

To begin, meet with others: lead teachers, food service personnel, PTA representatives, student leadership members, and community leaders to discuss your commitment and the importance of this effort. Ask that they help initiate solutions within their respective spheres of influence. Here are the types of activities that should ultimately result from these discussions:

From the PTA / Parents

Formation of a Nutrition Committee
General presentation and updates to the PTA body
Promotion of effort to parents through their PTA newsletter and supplementary mailings
Provision of funds for marketing materials to be used in the school
Awards for those who have shown extra commitment and made a difference

From the Nutrition committee

On-going communication among all concerned parties
Acquisition of fresh produce from local farmers or through the DOD program
Taste-testing opportunities at school
On-going contact with state and federal programs that share similar goals

From Teachers

Providing general awareness of the importance of healthy eating to students
Resource identification, including lesson plans and school activities
Shared projects: field trip, garden, food fest, etc.
Integration of healthy eating awareness into all aspects of the curricula

From Students

Healthy Meals for Healthy Kids student campaign
Submission of recipes, taste testing and evaluation of foods
Participation in CHOICE essay contest
Student council survey of food interests (needs / desires for various foods, special diets (religious, ethical and medical), vegetarian foods, healthier foods, lower fat foods, etc.

Food Service

Setting up a suggestion box
Menu evaluation & revitalization to include healthier, fresher, plant-based foods
New, plant-based recipes associated with special days (i.e. healthy Mexican food for Cinco de Maya)
Utilization of special menus and cafeteria marketing materials
Provision of facility for healthy meal cooking classes
Willingness to accept training
Willingness to accept change

It is vital that food service personnel support your communities efforts for healthier meals. In this respect, you will want to hire those who are enthusiastic about healthy meal development and provide incentives for their efforts (such incentives do not necessarily need to be financial, rather they may include genuine appreciation and recognition, supportive efforts by the community to secure additional equipment, a simple "face-lift" for the cafeteria, and, when appropriate, ownership over recipe selection and presentation).

If your school has it's own kitchen, you may want to emulate successful programs where parents are assisting by helping to serve, and sometimes preparing healthy soups, fresh salads, fresh breads, and homestyle entrees. In all cafeterias, you may want to institute a volunteer program for students and parents to become directly involved. Some schools have been successful at organizing students to serve food, or, in the case of older students, setting up a work study program where students work the registers and learn basic nutrition and cooking procedures. All cafeteria help, volunteer or paid, should receive constant exposure to new foods and incentives to try these foods in their cafeterias.

---

In closing, a team spirit should develop in which all concerned parties enthusiastically and almost spontaneously share in this effort. While some changes will be more difficult to make than others, the ultimate, pervasive mood should be pro-active, flexible and fun.

One good way to develop this synergistic energy is to have all groups work together to host a family "Nutrition Fair". Such an event could include cook-offs, taste testing / sampling, skits, hand-outs, awards, special guests and nutritionally sound fun activities. For further information and support in organizing your school's nutrition fare,
contact CHOICE at 1-877-6CHOICE.

 

Administration
Overview | Obstacles | Solutions
Checklist | Support Tools