Press Release
☷Four School Districts Receive National Awards for Trailblazing Innovative Improvements to School Meals
U.S. Department of Agriculture ( By Press Release office)
Mar 06,2024
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Hey , guess what? Today , Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that four school districts in Alaska , Iowa , Maine , and Ohio got awards for their awesome efforts to make their students ' meals healthier . The announcement happened at the School Nutrition Association Legislative Action Conference during National School Breakfast Week . These school districts are the first winners of the Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Awards , which were created by the U . S . Department of Agriculture and Action for Healthy Kids . These awards celebrate school districts that are doing cool things to make their school meals even better . It ' s part of the Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative , or HMI , by the Biden - Harris Administration to support schools in giving kids nutritious meals that help them stay healthy . Secretary Vilsack said that for many kids , school meals are the healthiest ones they get , so it ' s important to invest in making them great . The four winning school districts , along with 260 other small and rural school districts , also got HMI grants last summer to make their meals healthier . Action for Healthy Kids congratulated the winners and praised the staff for making fresh , delicious meals . One of the winners , Clear Lake Community School District in Iowa , got recognized as a "Lunch Trailblazer" for their strategies to reduce sodium and use local foods . They even do taste tests with their students to get their input . Cool , right?The Sandy Valley Local School District in Ohio is being recognized as a "Lunch Trailblazer" for successfully reducing sodium in school lunches . They did this by using fresh and frozen meat and produce , as well as selecting lower sodium foods for their menu . The Student Council and Social Justice teams act as an advisory board , gathering feedback from their peers on new menu items . The school district also conducts taste tests to see what scratch cooking options the students are interested in . According to Tina Kindelberger , the food service director , they are trying to include more scratch cooking in their menus and the students have been loving the reduced sodium menu items , like the chicken queso chowder and buffalo chicken melt . For more information about the awardees , you can visit the HMI Awardee Spotlight webpage . The Regional School Unit 89 in Maine is also receiving the "Innovation in the Preparation of School Meals" award for incorporating more scratch cooking into their menu items . They make homemade sub rolls , croutons , pickles , and roasted chickpeas . They have partnered with a local farm to source produce like squash , onion , eggs , carrots , and kale . They also have monthly taste tests where the students decide on new menu items . Denise Tapley Proctor , the food service director , mentioned that they featured roasted squash from a local farm , potatoes from a local farmer , and turkey in their homemade gravy and stuffing for their Thanksgiving meal . The community and the students loved the change in direction towards more scratch cooking . The Petersburg School District in Alaska is receiving the "Innovation in the Preparation of School Meals" award for their commitment to creating scratch and semi - scratch foods using local and culturally relevant ingredients . They have incorporated moose meat , carrots , herring eggs , and kale into their menu . Carlee Johnson McIntosh , the food service director , mentioned that they had the Petersburg Indian Association come in to help the students prepare moose roasts and moose stock gravy . They then had a lunch taste testing for the students to try the moose roasts and gravy . These awards recognize schools that have implemented innovative practices , engaged students and the community , and followed the 2020 - 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans . Schools can apply for awards in various categories that acknowledge their efforts to reduce sodium and added sugars in school meals , provide nutrition education , and involve students and families in meal planning . If you ' re interested in learning more , there ' s an informational webinar on March 6 from 3:30 - 4:30 p . m . ET . This initiative by USDA is all about supporting schools in providing nutritious meals for students and helping them reach their full potential . Hey , just wanted to let you know that the Recognition Awards application is now up on the HMI website . USDA and Action for Healthy Kids have made it easier for school nutrition professionals to apply . School districts in all 50 states , plus DC , Puerto Rico , Guam , or the US Virgin Islands can apply if they participate in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program . Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until June 30 , 2025 . For more info about USDA and Action for Healthy Kids , visit their websites . And remember , #USDA is all about promoting equality as a provider , employer , and lender .
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