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School Nutrition Bulletin 2324-02

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Announcements from the WI DPI School Nutrition Team (SNT)

Updates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
 

Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Awards for School Food Authorities

As part of a cooperative agreement to develop and implement the USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s (FNS) Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative, Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) is offering Recognition Awards to celebrate School Food Authorities (SFA) that have made significant improvements to the nutritional quality of their school meals. The Recognition Awards will spotlight innovative practices, student and community engagement activities, and strategies schools have used to provide meals that are consistent with the 2020-25 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

AFHK opened the Recognition Awards Application Portal on June 30. The application and helpful resources to complete the application are available at the Application Recognition Awards Application Portal.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through June 30, 2025. Applicants will be notified of their results within two months of submission by email and the application status will also be posted on the portal.

Recognition Award Categories:

There are a total of eight Recognition Awards:

1. Breakfast Trailblazer Award
2. Small and/or Rural SFA Breakfast Trailblazer Award
3. Lunch Trailblazer Award
4. Small and/or Rural SFA Lunch Trailblazer Award
5. Innovative School Lunch Makeover Award
6. Innovation in the Cultural Diversity of School Meals Award
7. Innovation in the Preparation of School Meals Award
8. Innovation in Nutrition Education Award

Two of the Recognition Awards are specifically for small and/or rural SFAs, providing a more attainable pathway for recognition since they have more challenges to overcome. These SFAs may apply for any of the other awards as well. To see the full list of criteria for each award, visit Recognition Awards webpage.

Eligibility Criteria: SFAs must participate in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program in the contiguous United States, Hawaii, Alaska, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, or the United States Virgin Islands. Only SFAs are eligible to apply for the Recognition Awards.

Before completing an application, SFAs must obtain State agency confirmation that the SFA does not have any outstanding corrective actions and that any previous findings have been resolved. A Fillable PDF Form is available for this purpose. State agencies do not need to review SFA applications prior to submission.

SFAs may apply for any of the awards at any point during the application period, but may only receive each award once.

Benefits: SFAs meeting Recognition Award criteria will receive national and local recognition, as well as an awardee toolkit that includes digital assets, and travel stipends to attend a national Healthy Meals Summit. FNS and AFHK will highlight and share diverse best practices from Recognition Awardees nationwide through traditional and social media, stakeholder engagement, training and technical assistance activities, and Healthy Meals Summits.

Informational Webinar: On September 21, 2023, from 2 – 3:00 pm CST, AFHK will host an informational webinar about the Recognition Awards. This webinar will provide an overview of the Recognition Awards including information about eligibility, the application process, technical assistance available, and more. Register Here.

 

Congratulations to the FY 2023 Farm to School Grantees (in Wisconsin)!
 

Montello School District Montello, Wisconsin - $ 44,074
Grant Type: Turnkey- Planning

The Montello School District, a rural public school system serving 597 K-12 students in central Wisconsin, will establish an Action Planning Team comprised of district, student, parent, and local stakeholders who will meet monthly to develop a comprehensive, district-wide Farm to School Action Plan. To inform the plan and ensure it reflects the MSD community, two stakeholder surveys will be conducted. Community taste test demonstration events will be held eight times during the planning year to feature local produce and engage stakeholders. Farm to School enrichment classes will also be piloted in the District's GP3 afterschool program to trial recipes, school garden / youth cooking curriculum, and hands-on youth activities. The Planning Team will ultimately develop a comprehensive Farm to School Action Plan that identifies local needs and includes both local procurement and agricultural education activities, including a strategic plan to expand school gardening activities.

School District Of Mauston Mauston, Wisconsin - $50,000
Grant Type: Turnkey- Edible Gardens

The School District of Mauston will implement a 12-month Edible Gardening turnkey project designed to increase students' access to and consumption of healthful, local foods by (a) expanding hands on agricultural education opportunities at all grade levels; and (b) increasing the variety and amount of produce grown by students in school garden facilities (raised outdoor beds, indoor greenhouse and hydroponics, aquaculture system) and featured in the school lunch program and high school culinary classes. An Edible Garden Team reflective of the Mauston community will establish a vision, goals, and objectives for the project and draft a comprehensive Edible Garden Action Plan that impacts all grade levels. The project will feature visits to model Farm to School programs and nine taste test demonstrations that engage stakeholders, generate enthusiasm for local produce grown by students and local farmers, and pilot the expanded use of indoor and outdoor school gardens.

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Madison, Wisconsin - $ 471,723
Grant Type: State Agency

Wisconsin’s farm to school partners have long worked toward a statewide farm to school (F2S) network and state F2S grant program that enables equitable access for all Wisconsin communities to the benefits of farm to school. With grant funding, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) will expand Wisconsin’s statewide F2S network and support schools in building farm to school teams, increasing local procurement and offering agriculture educational programming through a state F2S grant program, peer-to-peer resource sharing and direct technical assistance. DATCP and state F2S partners will engage schools, childcare centers and other F2S stakeholders throughout the state to strengthen the state F2S network and ensure that ALL students, including rural, tribal, low income, and BIPOC students will experience the abundance of healthy local foods that Wisconsin farmers offer.

Now Available! Child Nutrition Database Release 26

The Child Nutrition (CN) Database, Release 26 (CN26), is now available at the Child Nutrition Database. The CNDB is a required database for nutrient analysis software approved by USDA for use in school meals.

Action Steps for Nutrient Analysis Software Companies: To maintain USDA approval, software companies must submit their nutrient analysis and certification of compliance software, updated to include CN26, to the USDA Software Evaluation Team by Monday, September 18, 2023. Instructions for submitting software to USDA is being provided directly to USDA-approved software companies. It is also available on the CNP Approved Nutrition Software PartnerWeb Community.

FNS recommends that companies update their software for their customers by the start of their school year, if possible. If you have questions about CN26 or if you are a new company seeking approval, please contact the USDA Software Evaluation Team at cnpntab@usda.gov.

Action Steps for State Agencies, School Food Authorities (SFA), and Local Schools: After September 18, 2023, State agencies, SFAs, and local schools should verify with their nutrient analysis software company to ensure that the software includes the most current version of the Child Nutrition Database (CN26).

Don't Flunk Food Safety This School Year!

A healthy meal is more than selecting nutritious foods; it also includes safe food handling from the moment it’s being prepared and up until lunchtime. Would you pass or fail the safe lunch packing test? The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has four tips for parents and caregivers to get an easy A in food safety this school year.

Clean: A recent USDA Observational Study on food preparation showed that only 44% of participants attempted to wash their hands before meal preparation, a failing grade no matter how you look at it. Even fewer participants (3%) washed their hands properly by rubbing hands for at least 20 seconds. Proper handwashing practices can help prevent cross-contamination when preparing school lunches.

Follow these steps to earn an A+ in handwashing:

  1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap and apply soap.
  2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap.
  3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.
  4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
  5. Dry your hands using a clean towel.

Separate: The kitchen can become a playground for bacteria when food is mishandled during preparation. To avoid cross-contamination, separate raw foods from those that are ready to eat during preparation. Don’t use the same cutting board for raw foods and ready-to-eat foods like fruits and vegetables. Having multiple cutting boards can help, but if you are only using one, make sure that you wash it in hot soapy water, sanitize, rinse, and air or pat dry with a clean paper towel between uses.

Cook: Cooking enough meat and poultry to use later in school lunches is a great time saver. But never rely on the color or texture of your meat and poultry to know if it is safe to consume. The only safe way to tell if it has been cooked to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature is by using a food thermometer. Let the thermometer do all the hard work to help you pass the “Is it done yet?” test.

Chill: You’ll pass the final food safety exam by never leaving food out of refrigeration for over two hours. Leaving food out too long at room temperature can cause bacteria to grow to dangerous levels that can cause illness. Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 F and 140 F, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. This range of temperatures is often called the “Danger Zone.” If you will be cooking more than you will pack, make sure you store your leftovers safely in sealed containers or airtight packaging. To do this, cut food into smaller pieces or divide large amounts of food into shallow containers to allow food to cool rapidly. Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or can remain safe indefinitely when frozen.

Read more about USDA’s Four Steps to Food Safety.

Now Available! New Food Yields Added to the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs Interactive Web-based Tool and FBG Mobile App!   

New yields are now available in the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs Interactive Web-based (FBG) Tool and FBG Mobile App! New yield data is available for: individually quick-frozen red beans, frozen diced potatoes, frozen cubed sweet potatoes, brown lentils, and canned black turtle beans. Stay tuned for additional yield data releases coming soon. Explore the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs today!

Nutrition Education Resources With Cafeteria Connections

Nutrition education empowers students with the knowledge and skills to make healthy food and beverage choices as part of a healthy lifestyle. School nutrition professionals and other school staff can support this by delivering consistent nutrition messaging and promoting the health benefits of school meals. As you plan for the upcoming school year, explore the following Team Nutrition resources to find creative ways to promote healthy eating and cafeteria connections based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) and MyPlate.

Discover MyPlate: Use this fun, inquiry-based resource to foster the development of healthy lifestyles among kindergarten-aged students. It contains six lessons, emergent reader mini books, food cards, student workbooks, parent handouts, and kid-friendly recipes. Discover MyPlate was recently updated to reflect the current DGA, including more food examples from different cultures and a focus on where food comes from.

Cafeteria Connection: Try the Eat Smart and Play Hard! activity (page 66 in the Teacher's Guide) which invites students to create physical activity-themed names for school lunch menu options. Think “Peachy Push-ups,” “Popcorn Pop-ups,” and “Jalapeño Hops!” Explore more Discover MyPlate: Nutrition Education for Kindergarten materials - available in English and Spanish.

Serving Up MyPlate: A Yummy Curriculum: Integrate nutrition education into math, science, English language arts, and health with this collection of enlightening elementary classroom materials. The curriculum focuses on the importance of eating from all five food groups, using the MyPlate icon within a variety of hands-on activities. In addition to inquiry-driven lessons, handouts and songs are included to create cafeteria and home connections and provide students with further practice and real-world experience.

Cafeteria Connection: Time to get creative with MyPlate! Ask students to connect foods on the school lunch menu with the five food groups or organize a contest for students to design table tents and placemats that feature MyPlate messages. Try more Serving Up MyPlate activities!

Fueling My Healthy Life: Empower middle school students to make healthy food choices that can lead to positive behavior change with the Fueling My Healthy Life project-based materials. Learning activities utilize digital interactives, informational text articles, student assessments, and videos to emphasize the importance of eating breakfast and how to choose healthy eating patterns that are low in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium

Cafeteria Connection: Check out the How School Lunch Is Made and How You Can Help article inspired by questions USDA has received from students about school lunch. This resource covers what is in a school meal, who plans the menus, and how students can have a voice in the process.

Stronger with School Meals: Promote school meals with these exciting and colorful Stronger with School Meals resources, designed to be used by teachers and other school staff, parents, and students. This resource includes activity booklets, stickers, button images, thank you cards, and infographics. The activity booklets feature a word search, school meal BINGO, and a matching game with nutrients and their important roles.

Cafeteria Connection: Start the school year right with school meals! Include these educational materials in your back-to-school events to promote school meals. Make sure to share the school meals menu, along with information on the school nutrition department website, and other contact information.

Team Nutrition Web Quizzes: Test your knowledge and build nutrition skills with Team Nutrition's Collection of Web Quizzes. These fun ten-question quizzes focus on school breakfast, school lunch, the school nutrition environment, and more. Upon completion of each quiz, a link to resources is provided to expand knowledge on the topic and build nutrition skills.

Cafeteria Connection: Use these interactive web quizzes at trainings or as part of a presentation on school meals to encourage further discussion. Added bonus - try the quizzes during school wellness committee meetings to make them more interactive!

Local School Wellness Policies: Local School Wellness Policy requirements include specific goals for nutrition promotion and education. Parents, teachers, school nutrition staff, school nurses, and others can be part of a school district's Local School Wellness Committee. Check out your district's Local School Wellness Policy to learn more and get involved!

For more information, visit Team Nutrition's Local School Wellness Policy Tools and Resources webpage.

Schools that participate in the USDA’s Child Nutrition Programs can request free print copies of certain Team Nutrition materials. Order Today!

All About Berries

Summer is a great time to enjoy berries. This colorful breakfast casserole is made with quinoa, oats, and berries. It is a nutrient-rich dish that can be served hot or cold. Download the recipe with portions for Children 3−5 and Children 6−18 years old. Watch this Short Video before you make it!

Try these activities with children:

  • Read with Farrah Fruit and find the berries in this Emergent Reader from Discover MyPlate: Nutrition Education for Kindergarten.
  • Get the facts on berries in the Discover Berry Sweet Evidence Lesson from The Great Garden Detective Adventure for grades 3 and 4.
  • Find the berries in the Roller Coaster Poster, part of the Dig In! Standards-Based Nutrition Education From the Ground Up curriculum for grades 5 and 6.
  • Check off blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries in this Bingo Challenge from the Summer Food, Summer Moves activity guide for families.

USDA Child Nutrition Program operators can request free printed copies of certain Team Nutrition materials, while supplies last, at the Team Nutrition website.

Updates from the DPI School Nutrition Team
 

School Year 2023-24 Administrative Reviews

The List of School Food Authorities that are scheduled to receive an Administrative Review in school year 2023-24 is now available on the Administrative Review website.

NEW! Free-Reduced and Verification Email

The School Nutrition Team would like to announce a new inbox for free and reduced certification and verification inquiries. Please contact DPIMealEligibility@dpi.wi.gov to connect with one of our Free and Reduced Eligibility Specialists. The inbox will be checked regularly and SFAs can expect a response within two business days.

Reimbursement Rate Summary

The SNT created a summary document for the School Year (SY) 2023-24 Reimbursement Rates, recently announced by USDA. These rates are effective July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024.

Registration Reminder: School Nutrition Summer Training (SNST) in Waukesha

The DPI School Nutrition Team will host a variety of school food service and school meal administration classes at Waukesha County Technical College from August 8-10, 2023.

View the School Nutrition Summer Training Schedule to learn more and then Register for School Nutrition Summer Training in Waukesha by Monday, July 31. Limited seats are available and a $10, non-refundable, fee applies.

Final confirmation emails will be sent to registered participants the week before class with all the necessary class details and resources.

Thank you for your involvement in SNST. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Other Updates and Information
 

July STAR Webinar: Back to School: Fostering Creativity and Innovation in School Meal Planning

Date: Thursday, July 27, 2023
Time: 2–3:00 PM CST

The Back to School webinar will focus on providing school nutrition professionals with effective techniques and strategies used by fellow school nutrition operators to foster creativity and innovation in their school meal planning. The strategies and techniques shared will empower school nutrition professionals with new ideas for providing nutritious and appealing meals to students, improve student engagement, and drive student participation in the school meal program.

SNA Key Area(s): 1 – Nutrition
USDA Professional Standards Code(s): 1100 – Menu Planning
Learning Objective(s): By the end of this webinar, attendees will be able to identify effective techniques and strategies that foster creativity and innovation in planning nutritious school meals.

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Jill K. Underly, PhD, State Superintendent
125 S Webster Street
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 266-3390 • (800) 441-4563