Tuesday, July 9, 2019
The Summer Food Service Program provides free meals to low-income children during school vacations. Access to healthy and tasty food over the summer months is crucial for children and teens who may not otherwise have regular meals.
To recognize sponsors going above and beyond offering high quality summer meals that are appetizing, appealing, and nutritious, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) created an award known as Turnip the Beet. The third annual awards were given to 118 sponsors nationally at the bronze, silver, and gold levels. Criteria for the award include:
- Offering nutritious and appetizing meals.
- Serving a variety of vegetables and fruits throughout the week.
- Serving whole grains and low-fat or fat-free dairy products.
- Serving culturally-appropriate meals.
- Conducting taste tests with children.
- Offering nutrition education activities along with the meals (USDA 2019).
The following six Wisconsin summer meals sponsors were recognized for the 2018 Turnip the Beet awards.
Gold Turnip the Beet Wisconsin Awardee
Stevens Point Area School District
Silver Turnip the Beet Wisconsin Awardees
Montello School District
University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics
Pulaski Area School District
Gundersen Health System
Bronze Turnip the Beet Wisconsin Awardee
Unified School District of De Pere
Congratulations to all of the 2018 awardees. Thank you for your commitment to the health and well-being of our children.
Looking for a summer meals site in your area? The summer meals map is updated weekly throughout the summer. You can also call 2-1-1, a free, easy-to-remember phone number connecting callers with health and human services in their community. Or, you can text 'food' to 877-877.
For more information, resources, and access to the nomination form, visit the USDA’s Turnip the Beet! website.
References
United States Department of Agriculture. 2019. “Just-Announced ‘Turnip the Beet’ Awards Recognize High-Quality Summer Meals.” Accessed June 25, 2019. https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2019/06/18/just-announced-turnip-beet-aw...