guidelines for implementing the massachusetts school nutrition standards

8/2/2019 Guidelines for Implementing the Massachusetts School Nutrition Standards

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Healthy Students,

Healthy Schools:Guidance for Implementing the

Massachusetts School Nutrition Standards

for Competitive Foods and Beverages


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Healthy Students, Healthy Schools:

Guidance for Implementing the

Massachusetts School Nutrition Standards

for Competitive Foods and Beverages

December 2011

Developed by:

Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

John C. Stalker Institute of Food and Nutrition at Framingham State University

Harvard School of Public Health

Boston Public Health Commission


4/52HealtHy StudeNtS, HealtHy SCHoolS: GuIdaNCe For IMpleMeNtING tHe MaSSaCHuSettS SCHool NutrItIoN StaNdardS For CoMpetItIve FoodS aNd BeveraGeS


5/52taBle oF CoNteNtS

Table o Contents

Acknowledgements 5

Introduction 7

Denitions 9

Massachusetts School Nutrition Regulations At-a-Glance 11

Foods and Beverages That Meet Massachusetts School Nutrition Standards 13

Procurement and Contracting 14

Additional School Nutrition Food and Beverage Regulations 15

School Wellness Advisory Committees 19

Resources or Implementation

Alternatives or School Fund-Raising Activities 20

Healthy Celebrations 21

Recommendations to Create and Support a Healthy School Environment 23

Financial Implications 32

Other Resources 36

Q & As 38

Making the Case or Healthier Schools with Parents 45


7/52aCkNowledGeMeNtS

Acknowledgements

The Massachusetts Department o Public Health and the Massachusetts Depart-ment o Elementary and Secondary Education wish to acknowledge the valuablecommitment o Massachusetts educators and public health practitioners workingin collaboration to develop these comprehensive and evidence-based standards orcompetitive oods and beverages provided in public schools:

Massachusetts Department o Public Health: Cynthia Bayerl, Diana Hoek,

Howard Saxner, Alison Mehlman, Christina Nordstrom, Anne Sheetz, LaurenSmith and Laura York; Interns: Marcy Ruda (Simmons College); Kelly Coughlin(Boston University), Alexandra Pitkin (University o Connecticut) and BobbieCondrat (University o Minnesota)

Massachusetts Department o Elementary and Secondary Education: RitaBrennan-Olson, Linda Fischer, Mary Anne Gilbert and Katie Millett

Harvard School o Public Health: Juliana Cohen, Jessica Garcia and Eric Rimm

Boston Public Health Commission: Kathy Cunningham

John C. Stalker Institute o Food and Nutrition at Framingham State University:Karen McGrail

Together with the Massachusetts schools that contributed successul examplesor promoting healthy eating policies and practices or this guidance document,we would also like to recognize the signicant eorts o the Massachusetts PublicHealth Association, the Massachusetts Farm-to-School Project, and the Massa-chusetts School Nutrition Association in helping us translate the regulations intopractical guidelines that may help all public schools in the Commonwealth be suc-cessul in promoting healthy nutrition.

John Auerbach Mitchell D. ChesterCommissioner Commissioner

MA Department o Public Health MA Department o Elementary andSecondary Education


9/52INtroduCtIoN

Introduction

The Act Relative to School Nutrition, signed into law on

July 30, 2010, requires the Massachusetts Departmento Public Health to establish standards or competitive

oods and beverages sold or provided in public schools

during the school day. The goal o the standards is to

ensure that public schools oer students ood and

beverage choices that will enhance learning, contribute

to their healthy growth and development, and cultivate

lie-long healthy eating behaviors. The regulations are

part o the Commonwealths broad-based, collaborative

initiative to reduce childhood obesity and prevent its

complications in childhood and later in adulthood.

The Massachusetts Department o Public Health worked with the Massachusetts

Department o Elementary and Secondary Education, the Harvard School o PublicHealth, the Boston Public Health Commission, the John C. Stalker Institute o Foodand Nutrition at Framingham State University and other key partners to develop thenutrition standards which are based primarily on the Institute o Medicines Nutri-tion Standards or Foods in Schools and the Dietary Guidelines or Americans, 2010.The nutrition standards and the associated regulations go into eect on August 1,2012 unless otherwise noted.

The regulations apply to competitive oods and beverages sold or made available inpublic schools. They do not apply to oods and beverages sold as part o a ederal



nutrition program such as the School Breakast Program, School Lunch Program,or the Child and Adult Care Food Program (all o which ollow USDA national guide-lines). Competitive oods are dened as oods and beverages provided in:

School caeterias oered as la carte items1.School buildings, including classrooms and hallways2.School stores3.

School snack bars4.Vending machines5.Concession stands6.Booster sales7.Fundraising activities8.School-sponsored or school-related events9.Any other location on school property10.

The regulations apply to competitive oods and beverages sold or provided tostudents 30 minutes beore the beginning o the school day until 30 minutes a-ter the school day ends. However, oods and beverages sold in vending machines

must comply with the standards at all times.

The time rame stated in the legislation establishes the minimum standard to beollowed in applying the competitive ood and beverage regulations. School dis-tricts may choose, and are encouraged, to go beyond the minimum standards toestablish local policies that apply the ood and beverage standards at all times topromote a healthy school environment throughout the entire day.

Additional school nutrition ood and beverage regulations listed in the bill include:making water available to all students during the day without charge, oering orsale resh ruits and non-ried vegetables at any location where ood is sold, exceptin non-rerigerated vending machines and vending machines oering only beverag-es, prohibiting the use o ryolators or competitive oods and, by August 1, 2013,making nutrition inormation available to students or non-prepackaged competitiveoods and beverages served in the caeteria.

The inormation in this guide is intended to oer practical ideas or implementingthe Massachusetts School Nutrition Regulations or school administration andsta, parent groups, student groups, and youth and youth-serving organizations. Itis also available electronically at www.mass.gov/dph/healthierschools.

School-specic communication plans can help school sta, teachers, ood ser-vice personnel, school nurses, athletic department sta, students, parents,

booster clubs, vendors, etc., understand their roles in working together to putthe standards into practice. Many Massachusetts school districts have alreadyimplemented several o the laws requirements on their own, and examples o theirthoughtul and creative initiatives can be ound throughout this guide.
http://www.mass.gov/dph/healthierschoolshttp://www.mass.gov/dph/healthierschools


11/52deFINItIoNS

Defnitions

la carte entre means a single ood or combination o oods oered as a maincourse or central ocus o a meal, generally a protein source. When applying thestandards, the ood product should be analyzed as a whole, not by the individual in-gredients that make up the product. For example, a turkey sandwich would includethe bread, condiments, turkey, etc.

Articial sweeteners means substances added to ood or beverages to providea sweet taste while providing ew or no additional calories, including aspartame,sucralose, acesuame-K, neotame, sugar alcohols and saccharin.

Standards or fuid milk and milk substitutes are dened by the USDA: All milkserved must be pasteurized fuid milk which meets state and local standards orsuch milk. All milk musthave vitamins A and Dat levels specied by theFood and Drug Admin-istration and must beconsistent with state andlocal standards or suchmilk. Nondairy beveragesmust provide the nutrientslisted in the ollowing table.Milk substitutes must beortied in accordance withortication guidelines is-sued by the Food and DrugAdministration.

Fresh means resh, rozen, dried or canned without added sugar, at or sodium orthe purpose o these regulations.

Grain-based products means ood products in which the primary ingredient is grain,

including pasta, crackers, granola bars, chips and bakery items.

Item means one serving o a product; packaged items can contain no more thanone serving per package.

Low-at means 3 grams or less per Reerence Amount Customarily Consumed(RACC) standards established by the ederal Food and Drug Administration.

Nutrients Required or Non-Dairy Beveragesand Milk Substitutes (USDA)*

Nutrient Nutrient per 8 Ounces

Calcium 276 mg

Protein 8 g

Vitamin A 500 IU

Vitamin D 100 IU

Magnesium 24 mg

Phosphorus 222 mg

Potassium 349 mg

Ribofavin 0.44 mg

Vitamin B-12 1.1 mcg

*Sc: h://c.ccss.g.g/cf_2011/jnq/f/7cf210.10.f
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdf


12/520 HealtHy StudeNtS, HealtHy SCHoolS: GuIdaNCe For IMpleMeNtING tHe MaSSaCHuSettS SCHool NutrItIoN StaNdardS For CoMpetItIve FoodS aNd BeveraGeS

Natural favorings means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, proteinhydroplysate, distillate, or any product o roasting, heating or enzymolysis, whichcontains the favoring constituents derived rom a spice, ruit or ruit juice, veg-etable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, lea or similar plantmaterial, meat, seaood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or ermentation productsthereo, whose signicant unction in ood is favoring rather than nutritional.

Public school means an elementary, middle, high, charter, innovation or compa-rable school operated by a public school district or board o trustees pursuant toChapter 71 o the Massachusetts General Laws.

Reduced at means at least 25% less at per Reerence Amount Customarily Con-sumed (RACC) than an appropriate reerence ood.

School day means the hours o the day that students must attend school.

Sweetener means a substance derived rom a natural product that is added toood or beverages to provide a sweet taste. Such a substance may be nutritive or

nonnutritive. A nutritive sweetener may be either naturally occurring, such as honey,or rened rom plants, such as sugar rom sugar cane. Nonnutritive sweetenersinclude products that may be regarded as natural.

Trans at-ree means less than 0.5 grams o trans at per item, or as otherwisespecied by the ederal Food and Drug Administration.

Whole grains means grains or the oods made rom them that contain all the es-sential parts and naturally occurring nutrients o the entire grain seed. I the grainhas been processed, the ood product should deliver approximately the samebalance o nutrients ound in the original grain seed. For purposes o these regu-lations, whole grain should be the primary ingredient by weight (i.e., whole grainlisted rst in the ingredient statement).
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdf


13/52MaSSaCHuSettS SCHool NutrItIoN reGulatIoNS at-a-GlaNCe

Massachusetts School Nutrition

Regulations or Competitive

Foods and Beverages At-a-Glance

The ollowing standards apply to all public elementary, middle and high schoolstudents. To view the complete regulations see www.lawlib.state.ma.us/source/mass/cmr/cmrtext/105CMR225.pd.

Category Standards

Juice 100% ruit and vegetable juice, with no addedsugar.

Juice Portion Size Limit No more than 4-ounce servings.

Milk(Including alternativemilk beverages such aslactose-ree and soy)

Low-at (1% or less) and at-ree milk.

Milk Portion Size Limit(Including alternativemilk beverages such aslactose-ree and soy)

No more than 8-ounce servings.

Milk Added Sugar(Including alternativemilk beverages such aslactose-ree and soy)

Flavored milk with no more than 22 gramstotal sugar per 8 ounces.

Water No added sugars, sweeteners or articialsweeteners.

May contain natural favorings and/orcarbonation.

Beverages with AddedSugar or Sweeteners Any beverages with added sugar orsweeteners not already prohibited will bephased out by August 1, 2013. A schoolmay provide or sell favored milk or milksubstitutes that contain the same amount orless sugar than plain, at-ree or low-at milk.

Other Beverages(Soda, sports drinks,teas, waters, etc.)

No beverages other than juice, milk, milksubstitutes and water shall be sold orprovided.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/pdf/7cfr210.10.pdfhttp://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/source/mass/cmr/cmrtext/105CMR225.pdfhttp://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/source/mass/cmr/cmrtext/105CMR225.pdfhttp://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/source/mass/cmr/cmrtext/105CMR225.pdfhttp://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/source/mass/cmr/cmrtext/105CMR225.pdf



Category Standards

Calories Foods shall not exceed 200 calories per item.

la carte entres shall not exceed the caloriecount o entre items oered as a part othe National School Lunch Program (e.g.,equivalent portion size).

Fat No more than 35% o total calories rom at.

Saturated Fat No more than 10% o total calories romsaturated at.

Trans Fat All oods shall be trans at-ree.

Fat Exemptions(All other categoriesapply, e.g., sugar andcalories.)

1-ounce servings o nuts, nut butters, seeds,and reduced-at cheese.

Sugar No more than 35% o total calories rom sugars.

Sugar Exemptions(All other categoriesapply, e.g., at andcalories.)

100% ruit with no added sugar.

Low-at or non-at yogurt (including drinkableyogurt) with no more than 30 grams o totalsugars, per 8-ounce serving.

Sodium No ood shall contain more than 200 mg osodium per item.

la carte entres shall not contain more than480 mg o sodium per item.

Grains All bread or grain-based products shall bewhole grain, i.e., whole grain should be listedrst in the ingredient statement. Theseinclude crackers, granola bars, chips, bakeryitems, pasta, rice, etc.

Caeine No ood or beverage shall contain more thantrace amounts o caeine.

Note: Some oods and beverages, such as

chocolate, contain small amounts o naturally

occurring caeine. These products are allowedas long as they comply with the rest o the

nutrition standards.

Articial Sweeteners No ood or beverage shall contain an articialsweetener.


15/52FoodS aNd BeveraGeS tHat Meet MaSSaCHuSettS SCHool NutrItIoN StaNdardS

Competitive Foods and Beverages

That Meet Massachusetts

School Nutrition Standards

The John C. Stalker Institute o Food and Nutrition (JSI), a partnership o the Mas-sachusetts Department o Elementary and Secondary Education and FraminghamState University, publishes the A-List (or Acceptable List) which is a list o prod-ucts that meet the Massachusetts Action or Healthy Kids Massachusetts lacarte Food & Beverage Standards. This list o products will be revised to refectthe Massachusetts School Nutrition Regulations. The revised list is expected to bepublished in February, 2012. Please see www.johnstalkerinstitute.org/alist.

JSI will be creating a nutrition calculator that schools can use to determine i an in-

dividual product meets the Massachusetts standards. The calculator is expected tobe completed by the summer o 2012 and will also be eatured on the JSI website.

It is important to note that some processed oods will meet the nutrition standards,however, processing ood can reduce the naturally occurring trace nutrients suchas vitamins and minerals as well as ber in a product. Some products are enrichedwith these nutrients ater processing, but never to the same degree as in the naturalood. The objective o the Massachusetts School Nutrition Standards is to providethe opportunity or children to consume whole, minimally processed, nutrient-richoods, such as ruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-at dairy.

Please see page 38 or requently asked questions regarding the rationale thatsupports a number o these nutrition standards.
http://www.johnstalkerinstitute.org/alisthttp://www.johnstalkerinstitute.org/alist



Procurement and

Contracting

School districts and school programs needto ollow ederal, state and local procurementrequirements or purchasing oods. In somecases, written quotes are acceptable, whilein others it is necessary to ollow bid pro-cedures. Products grown or produced usingproducts grown in the Commonwealth are sup-ported by state law. Written specications orall purchases should be used.

Massachusetts General Law Chapter 30Bexplains purchasing requirements:

www.malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleIII/Chapter30B.

Law Facilitates Purchasing o Massachusetts-

Grown Produce

The School Nutrition Law makes it easier orschool districts to buy resh produce directlyrom Massachusetts armers. It claries thatas long as reasonable business practices areollowed and that each purchasing contractis below $25,000, local school districts canpurchase ruits and vegetables rom Mas-sachusetts arms without going through thenormal bidding process. In addition, thislegislation allows multiple purchases to bemade throughout the school year. This newpractice is authorized through the amendmento Chapter 30B and is governed by the Inspec-tor Generals Oce.

The Massachusetts Farm-to-School programcan help support your school in buyingdirectly rom Massachusetts growers (www.

armtoschool.org/MA).
http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleIII/Chapter30Bhttp://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleIII/Chapter30Bhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleIII/Chapter30Bhttp://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleIII/Chapter30B


17/52addItIoNal SCHool NutrItIoN Food aNd BeveraGe reGulatIoNS

1: Make water available to

all students during the day

without charge.

Water is essential or lie. Although our dailyfuid intake requirements can be obtainedrom a variety o beverages and oods, potabledrinking water is the best calorie-ree, thirst-quenching option. According to the DietaryGuidelines or Americans 2010 released bythe U.S. Department o Agriculture, consum-ers should orgo sugary drinks and makewater their beverage o choice. Studies haveshown that individuals without ready accessto potable drinking water may consume moresugar-sweetened beverages, and studentswho participated in school-based interven-tions to promote water consumption showeddecreases in overweight/obesity rates (www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/TheEvidence/Texts/StratstoReduce_Sugar_Sweetened_Bevs.pd).Schools across the nation have implementedunique and innovative ways to bring water tostudents. No one solution ts all situations.Some schools use water dispensers and cups,

while others depend on water ountains andprovide each student with a re-usable waterbottle to use throughout the school year.

For schools participating in the NationalSchool Lunch Program, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act o 2010 has established arequirement or making water availableto children at no charge during the mealservice where lunch meals are served. For

Additional School

Nutrition Food

and Beverage

Regulations

For more ideas and inormation on making

water available or students, see the

ollowing resources:

Drinking Water Access in Schools, The NationalPolicy & Legal Analysis Network to Prevent

Childhood Obesitywww.phlpnet.org/childhood-obesity/products/water-access-in-school

The CDC Guide to Strategies or Reducing theConsumption o Sugar-Sweetened Beverages

www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/TheEvidence/Texts/StratstoReduce_Sugar_Sweetened_Bevs.pd

Water in Schools Toolkit, Caliornia Food PolicyAdvocates

http://waterinschools.org

Proper Care o Bottled Water and Dispensers

or Schools, Massachusetts Department oEnvironmental Protection

www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/dispcare.htm

Lead in School Drinking Water Program,Massachusetts Department o EnvironmentalProtection

www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/sclcatlg.pd
http://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/TheEvidence/Texts/StratstoReduce_Sugar_Sweetened_Bevs.pdfhttp://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/TheEvidence/Texts/StratstoReduce_Sugar_Sweetened_Bevs.pdfhttp://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/TheEvidence/Texts/StratstoReduce_Sugar_Sweetened_Bevs.pdfhttp://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/TheEvidence/Texts/StratstoReduce_Sugar_Sweetened_Bevs.pdfhttp://www.phlpnet.org/childhood-obesity/products/water-access-in-schoolhttp://www.phlpnet.org/childhood-obesity/products/water-access-in-schoolhttp://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/TheEvidence/Texts/StratstoReduce_Sugar_Sweetened_Bevs.pdfhttp://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/TheEvidence/Texts/StratstoReduce_Sugar_Sweetened_Bevs.pdfhttp://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/TheEvidence/Texts/StratstoReduce_Sugar_Sweetened_Bevs.pdfhttp://waterinschools.org/http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/dispcare.htmhttp://www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/dispcare.htmhttp://www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/sclcatlg.pdfhttp://www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/sclcatlg.pdfhttp://www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/sclcatlg.pdfhttp://www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/sclcatlg.pdfhttp://www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/dispcare.htmhttp://www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/dispcare.htmhttp://waterinschools.org/http://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/TheEvidence/Texts/StratstoReduce_Sugar_Sweetened_Bevs.pdfhttp://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/TheEvidence/Texts/StratstoReduce_Sugar_Sweetened_Bevs.pdfhttp://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/TheEvidence/Texts/StratstoReduce_Sugar_Sweetened_Bevs.pdfhttp://www.phlpnet.org/childhood-obesity/products/water-access-in-schoolhttp://www.phlpnet.org/childhood-obesity/products/water-access-in-schoolhttp://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/TheEvidence/Texts/StratstoReduce_Sugar_Sweetened_Bevs.pdfhttp://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/TheEvidence/Texts/StratstoReduce_Sugar_Sweetened_Bevs.pdfhttp://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/TheEvidence/Texts/StratstoReduce_Sugar_Sweetened_Bevs.pdfhttp://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/TheEvidence/Texts/StratstoReduce_Sugar_Sweetened_Bevs.pdf



more inormation on this requirement, seewww.ns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Policy-Memos/2011/SP_28-2011.pd.

2. Oer or sale resh

ruits and non-riedvegetables at any location

where ood is sold, except

in non-rerigerated

vending machines and

vending machines oering

only beverages.

Every step taken towards eating more ruitsand vegetables helps childrens health. Fruitsand vegetables are rich in vitamins and miner-als as well as ber, and are low in calories.They can help children maintain a healthyweight and reduce the risk o developingchronic diseases such as diabetes, heartdisease, stroke and cancer. Some Massachu-setts schools have oered resh ruits andvegetables as snacks and have ound thatstudents choose more ruits and vegetablesor lunch as well.

There are approximately 100 schools in 25districts in Massachusetts participating in theUSDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program. Thisprogram targets schools in which more than50% o students are eligible or ree or reduced-price meals. The goal o the program is toprovide healthier ood choices by expanding the

variety oree resh ruits and vegetables madeavailable to students throughout the schoolday outside o the meal service. Participat-ing schools oer resh ruits and vegetablesin a variety o ways, including hallway kiosksor vending carts and baskets o ruit deliveredto classrooms or mid-morning or aternoonsnacks. For more inormation on the USDAFresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, see www.ns.usda.gov/cnd/FFVP/FNSresources.htm.

Water Solutions in Somerville

Somerville Public Schools provides ree drink-ing water to their students by placing insulatedcambros with cold water in the caeteria.They provide 7-ounce plastic cups next to thecambro and the students are allowed to take

as much water as they want beore, during andater school. I the school has working waterountains, cambros are not used.

For more inormation on oering resh ruits

and vegetables, see the ollowing resources:

USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program State and Local Resources

www.ns.usda.gov/cnd/FFVP/locally-developed.htm

Creating Demand or Fruits and Veggies, Pro-duce or Better Health Foundation

www.pbhoundation.org

UMASS Extension Nutrition Education ProgramMaterials

http://extension.umass.edu/nutrition/images/stories/publications/ood_exp_highschool_posters/March_banana_hs_poster_09.pd

The Massachusetts Farm-to-School Project helpsto match local armers and schools to buildsustainable ood purchasing relationships. Theyalso sponsor the annual Massachusetts Har-vest or Students Week in September.

www.armtoschool.org/MA
http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/sclcatlg.pdfhttp://www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/sclcatlg.pdfhttp://www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/sclcatlg.pdfhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Policy-Memos/2011/SP28-2011_osr.pdf#xml=http://65.216.150.153/texis/search/pdfhi.txt?query=water&pr=FNS&prox=page&rorder=500&rprox=500&rdfreq=500&rwfreq=500&rlead=500&rdepth=0&sufs=0&order=r&cq=&id=4ea1f2ac3bhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Policy-Memos/2011/SP28-2011_osr.pdf#xml=http://65.216.150.153/texis/search/pdfhi.txt?query=water&pr=FNS&prox=page&rorder=500&rprox=500&rdfreq=500&rwfreq=500&rlead=500&rdepth=0&sufs=0&order=r&cq=&id=4ea1f2ac3bhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/FFVP/FNSresources.htmhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/FFVP/FNSresources.htmhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/FFVP/locally-developed.htmhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/FFVP/locally-developed.htmhttp://www.pbhfoundation.org/http://extension.umass.edu/nutrition/images/stories/publications/food_exp_highschool_posters/March_banana_hs_poster_09.pdfhttp://extension.umass.edu/nutrition/images/stories/publications/food_exp_highschool_posters/March_banana_hs_poster_09.pdfhttp://extension.umass.edu/nutrition/images/stories/publications/food_exp_highschool_posters/March_banana_hs_poster_09.pdfhttp://extension.umass.edu/nutrition/images/stories/publications/food_exp_highschool_posters/March_banana_hs_poster_09.pdfhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://extension.umass.edu/nutrition/images/stories/publications/food_exp_highschool_posters/March_banana_hs_poster_09.pdfhttp://extension.umass.edu/nutrition/images/stories/publications/food_exp_highschool_posters/March_banana_hs_poster_09.pdfhttp://extension.umass.edu/nutrition/images/stories/publications/food_exp_highschool_posters/March_banana_hs_poster_09.pdfhttp://extension.umass.edu/nutrition/images/stories/publications/food_exp_highschool_posters/March_banana_hs_poster_09.pdfhttp://www.pbhfoundation.org/http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/FFVP/locally-developed.htmhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/FFVP/locally-developed.htmhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/FFVP/FNSresources.htmhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/FFVP/FNSresources.htmhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Policy-Memos/2011/SP28-2011_osr.pdf#xml=http://65.216.150.153/texis/search/pdfhi.txt?query=water&pr=FNS&prox=page&rorder=500&rprox=500&rdfreq=500&rwfreq=500&rlead=500&rdepth=0&sufs=0&order=r&cq=&id=4ea1f2ac3bhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Policy-Memos/2011/SP28-2011_osr.pdf#xml=http://65.216.150.153/texis/search/pdfhi.txt?query=water&pr=FNS&prox=page&rorder=500&rprox=500&rdfreq=500&rwfreq=500&rlead=500&rdepth=0&sufs=0&order=r&cq=&id=4ea1f2ac3b


19/52addItIoNal SCHool NutrItIoN Food aNd BeveraGe reGulatIoNS

3. The use o ryolators

is prohibited or

competitive oods.

School districts may choose, and are encour-aged, to go beyond the minimum standardsand establish local policies that prohibit theuse o ryolators at all times.

4. By August 1, 2013

make nutrition inormation

available to students

or non-prepackaged

competitive oods and

beverages served in the

caeteria. (This regulation

does not apply to fresh fruit

or vegetables.)

Readily available nutrition inormation canhelp students make healthier choices. Thisinormation is most eective when it is rightat the point-o-purchase, such as on schoolmenu boards, but may also be provided on theschools website.

Recent studies conducted in several majorrestaurant chains have shown that many cus-tomers who used calorie inormation on menu

boards made lower-calorie choices. A studycommissioned by Healthy Eating Research ex-amined whether New York Citys menu-labelingrequirement, which was implemented in 2008,changed what customers purchased or lunch.Researchers ound that one in six customersused calorie inormation to purchase lower-calorie meals. They also ound that customerswho used the calorie inormation purchasedon average 106 ewer calories than customers

USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

Massachusetts Examples

Cambridge delivers baskets o resh ruitsand vegetables to classrooms in our o itselementary schools. School Nutrition Ser-vices also partners with City Sprouts (www.

citysprouts.org) and Tasty Choices, which iscoordinated by the Cambridge Public HealthDepartment, to provide nutrition education.

Thirteen Worcester schools work closely withthe Massachusetts Farm-to-School Project toprovide local produce to students. Snacks areserved in classrooms and health and physi-cal education teachers provide lessons onhealthy eating.

At the William Greene School in Fall River,resh ruits and vegetables are made availableduring morning recess in the classroom, inthe main oce and in other rooms visited bystudents. This school and our others partnerwith UMass Extensions Nutrition EducationProgram to provide students with classroomnutrition education and cooking demonstra-tions, a monthly nutrition calendar and videosegments o healthy recipes on the local edu-cation TV station.

Pittseld schools host nutrition and well-ness activities two days a week as part otheir health and physical education program.Baskets and trays o resh ruit and vegetablesnacks are served in the caeteria and nutri-tion inormation on these healthy items isprovided to students. At the MorningsideCommunity School, Wednesdays Mid-WeekLit highlights snacking with healthy oods,and Fresh Friday promotes the benets ohealthy eating on weekends, encouraging ami-

lies to spend time together.

As a result o the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegeta-ble Program in Chicopees Steanik ElementarySchool, the Bellamy Middle Schools NutritionManager attributes increased consumption oresh ruit to the exposure students receivedat the elementary school level. In addition,the Cook Manager at the Steanik ElementarySchool noted, Since introducing the ruit and
http://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.citysprouts.org/http://www.citysprouts.org/http://www.citysprouts.org/http://www.citysprouts.org/



who did not see or did not use the inorma-tion (www.rwj.org/childhoodobesity/digest.jsp?id=24562).

The range o resources that will be necessaryto help schools make nutritional inormationavailable to students, including sotware avail-

able; training time, resources and costs; andstrategies or phasing in nutrition analysis, iscurrently being assessed. Further guidancewill be made available to schools as the roll-out o the regulations goes orward.

vegetable grant, students are more open to try-ing all new oods and dont hesitate to ask ornew oods to be on the menu!
http://www.rwjf.org/childhoodobesity/digest.jsp?id=24562http://www.rwjf.org/childhoodobesity/digest.jsp?id=24562http://www.rwjf.org/childhoodobesity/digest.jsp?id=24562http://www.rwjf.org/childhoodobesity/digest.jsp?id=24562


21/52SCHool wellNeSS advISory CoMMItteeS

School Wellness

Advisory Committees

The Act Relative to School Nutrition also requires the establishment o schoolwellness advisory committees within school districts. This provision was includedto ensure that school districts put in place a key element o inrastructure nec-essary to carry out the intent o the School Nutrition Bill. The purpose o theseregulations is to set standards or the establishment and operation o SchoolWellness Advisory Committees. These committees are intended to ensure thateach public school district has an established group o school sta and concernedcommunity representatives to recommend, review and help implement school dis-trict policies addressing school nutrition, nutrition education, physical activity and

related issues that aect student health.

We encourage local oversight o the Massachusetts School Nutrition Regulationsby the school wellness advisory committee, which can address promoting a healthyenvironment throughout the school. The committee could also take the lead inorganizing school community meetings to educate and engage their members.

For more inormation on Standards or School Wellness Advisory Committees:www.lawlib.state.ma.us/source/mass/cmr/cmrtext/105CMR215.pd

For more inormation on wellness policies:www.ns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.html
http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/source/mass/cmr/cmrtext/105CMR215.pdfhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/source/mass/cmr/cmrtext/105CMR215.pdf



Resources or

Implementation

It is crucial or schools to provide a healthyenvironment or students throughout the entireschool campus. Supporting healthy behaviorsreinorces the nutrition lessons taught in theclassroom and sends a consistent messageto students that no actor, including money,should compromise their health.

Alternatives or School

Fundraising Activities

Many schools across Massachusetts and thecountry have already started to implementhealthy undraisers with surprising results thatmoney raised was either equal to or exceededunds brought in prior to initiating their healthyundraising initiatives. There are countlesshealthy and protable undraising alternativesavailable or schools.

The ollowing resources oer more ideas orhealthy undraisers that schools can easilyimplement:

Sweet Deals: School Fundraisers Can Be

Healthy and Proftable, Center or Science inthe Public Interest

www.cspinet.org/schoolundraising.pd

School Fundraising Ideas, Association o Stateand Territorial Public Health Nutrition Directors

www.astphnd.org/resource_read.php?resource_id=233

Healthy Fundraisers or Schools, Action orHealthy Kids

www.actionorhealthykids.org/resources/les/healthy-undraisers-or-schools.pd

Healthy Fundraising Alternatives

Walk-a-thons, jump-rope-a-thons, and un runsTalent showsRafes or spa treatments or sporting events,concerts, or movie tickets donated by localbusinessesItems with school logos

Car washes

Read-a-thonsAuctions or garage salesBook airsBowling or skate nightsHoliday cards, plants/fowers and git wrapCommunity service projects

Students Raise Money with Their Heads in

Woburn

Students in each grade at the Hurld Elemen-tary School took a 30-question grade-levelmath test developed by their teachers andcollected pledges or their correct answers. Toget them even more excited about the MathChallenge, students participated in scaven-ger hunts to nd the answers to a series ograde-appropriate math questions. Adding tothe novel undraiser, students who returned

their sponsor sheet had a chance to win arafe. Prizes included a ride to school in a retruck or police cruiser! The undraiser had anextremely high participation rate and producedover $11,000 or the school.

For more inormation about the Math Chal-lenge and other types o undraisers, seewww.ptoideas.com.
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthy/wellnesspolicy.htmlhttp://www.cspinet.org/schoolfundraising.pdfhttp://www.astphnd.org/resource_read.php?resource_id=233http://www.astphnd.org/resource_read.php?resource_id=233http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/healthy-fundraisers-for-schools.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/healthy-fundraisers-for-schools.pdfhttp://www.ptoideas.com/http://www.ptoideas.com/http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/healthy-fundraisers-for-schools.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/healthy-fundraisers-for-schools.pdfhttp://www.astphnd.org/resource_read.php?resource_id=233http://www.astphnd.org/resource_read.php?resource_id=233http://www.cspinet.org/schoolfundraising.pdf


23/52reSourCeS For IMpleMeNtatIoN

Che Fundraiser in Ashland

Ashland Public Schools invited celebrity cheMing Tsai to demonstrate quick, healthy andaordable recipes rom his new book, SimplyMing One-Pot Meals. The program was open to

the community. Premium seats, which sold outquickly, were priced at $50 and general admis-sion seats were $10. Proceeds o the eventwere $7,950 which went directly to supportAshlands Food and Nutrition Department.

Billericas Walk-a-thon or a Healthy Future

The Billerica School Nurses work on manyhealthy initiatives throughout the year andthe Walk-a-thon or a Healthy Future was oneo these initiatives at the Ditson ElementarySchool. In the past, the Ditson PTA groupusually raised unds by selling sweet breads,cinnamon rolls, etc. However, the entire dis-trict has been striving to improve adherence totheir healthy school policies, so they decidedto sponsor a walk instead. The school nurse

gave the PTA guidance, ideas, educational ma-terials, pedometers and prizes. In advance othe walk, the Parker Elementary Schools retir-ing nurse gave the git o a visit rom Mr. SlimGoodbody to do two presentations on healthyliestyles or the whole school community. Thestudents walked a course around the schoolgrounds mapped out by the physical educationteacher. Educational health acts were strate-gically placed along the course. The event wasa great success as they reached their three

goals: (1) raising school spirit, (2) educatingon healthy habits, and (3) raising more spon-sorship than they ever dreamed o nettingover $14,000. The walk was such a successthat it will be repeated next year, integrat-ing supplementary disciplines and additionalhealth activities into the day.

Resources or implementing resh ruitundraisers:

Florida Fruit Association Fundraisingwww.undraisingruit.com

Parker Indian River Groves Citrus Fruit Fund

Raisingwww.citrusruit.com

Fruit Fundraising Companieswww.undraisingweb.org/listings/citrus.htm

Healthy Celebrations

Classroom parties such as birthday andholiday celebrations do not need to involve

ood, just un! Let the birthday boy or girl bethe teachers assistant or the day, have acelebration dance, give the class extra recesstime, or have students create arts and cratsprojects to decorate the classroom or bringhome to their amilies, e.g., snow globes, holi-day cards, collages or fower pots. Check outthe ollowing resources or additional healthyclassroom celebrations:

Healthy Classroom Celebrations, Center or Sci-ence in the Public Interest

http://cspinet.org/new/pd/healthy_school_celebrations.pd

Healthy School Parties, Alliance or a HealthierGeneration

www.healthiergeneration.org/schools.aspx?id=3296

Guide to Healthy School Parties, Action orHealthy Kids o Alabama

www.actionorhealthykids.org/resources/

les/alahk-healthy-school-parties.pd
http://www.fundraisingfruit.com/http://www.citrusfruit.com/http://www.fundraisingweb.org/listings/citrus.htmhttp://cspinet.org/new/pdf/healthy_school_celebrations.pdfhttp://cspinet.org/new/pdf/healthy_school_celebrations.pdfhttp://www.healthiergeneration.org/schools.aspx?id=3296http://www.healthiergeneration.org/schools.aspx?id=3296http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.healthiergeneration.org/schools.aspx?id=3296http://www.healthiergeneration.org/schools.aspx?id=3296http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/healthy_school_celebrations.pdfhttp://cspinet.org/new/pdf/healthy_school_celebrations.pdfhttp://www.fundraisingweb.org/listings/citrus.htmhttp://www.citrusfruit.com/http://www.fundraisingfruit.com/



Ideas or Food-Free Birthday Celebrations

rom Ludlow

For the birthday child...

Select a book to donate to the library.

Share a special item with classmates (e.g.,

avorite book, song, stued animal, picture orsouvenir).Choose the game classmates play at recess.Serve as classroom leader or the day.Wear a special button or the day.Invite a special visitor to the class to read astory to classmates.Bring in photos illustrating amily, neighbor-hood, pets, etc., and tell stories about thepictures.Bring in special gits to share with classmates(e.g., pencils, stickers, notepads, erasers).Eat lunch with a riend and a teacher in thecaeteria.

For the school and the birthday childsclassmates...

Place the childs name and picture in the ronto the book donated by the birthday child.Announce the birthday childs name overthe school PA system during morning

announcements.Announce the birthday childs name at lunchin the caeteria and everyone sings HappyBirthday To You.Have classmates design and decorate a birth-day crown to be worn by the birthday child.Have classmates prepare a page about thebirthday child; teacher compiles pages andthen reads book to the class.

Healthy Celebrations in Dorchester

Codman Academy Charter Public School orga-nizes innovative school-wide celebrations whereood is not the ocal point. Instead, celebra-

tions involve tness, art, or community service.As a winter holiday celebration, the wholeschool participated in Bostons First Night pa-rade by making lie-size puppets or the parade.Alumni were welcomed back to the campusto participate in the annual student-alumnibasketball game. Spring is celebrated with aschool-wide community service day, and year-end activities include an entertaining eld dayeaturing everything rom relay races to rap-os.

Healthy Celebrations in Foxborough

Foxborough Regional Charter School cel-ebrates MCAS by holding a prep rally or stu-dents beore the initial testing week. Instead

o a party, this prep rally includes a competi-tion between teams in grades 3, 4, and 5 aswell as a sta team o teachers. The teamscompete against each other in active obstaclecourse races and academic challenge quizzes.The grade level winners receive extra recesstime and a non-dress code day. Please seewww.youtube.com/watch?v=9noQoC7WVp8.
http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/alafhk-healthy-school-parties.pdfhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9noQoC7WVp8http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9noQoC7WVp8


25/52reCoMMeNdatIoNS to Create aNd Support a HealtHy SCHool eNvIroNMeNt

Recommendations to

Create and Support a

Healthy School Environment

While not required in the Massachusetts School Nutrition Regulations, the ollow-ing are practical strategies that are known to support healthy eating behaviors.The school wellness policy is an eective tool in helping school wellness advisorycouncils and districts establish specic standards such as the ones listed below tocreate healthy school environments.

To build support around implementing these types o voluntary practices, it is valu-able to share school-level health statistics with the school community. Since 2010every public school in Massachusetts has been required to measure the height andweight o students in grades 1, 4, 7 and 10 and use those gures to calculate theirBody Mass Index (BMI). BMI is a method o determining i a child has a healthyweight compared to other children o the same age and sex. This inormation isavailable at every school, and can be used as a compelling tool to illustrate theneed or adapting these healthy recommendations.

Foods and beverages should not be used as rewards

or discipline or academic perormance or behavior.

Providing ood based on perormance or behavior connects ood to mood and

teaches children to reward themselves by eating even when they are not hungry.The article, Do Food Rewards Make Kids Overweight?(www.schoolnutrition.org/Content.aspx?id=7176) published in the December 2005 issue o the Archives oPediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, concluded that policies in schools that allowstudents to snack requently; to consume high-calorie, low nutrient-dense oodsand beverages; and to have ood as incentives and rewards were associated withhigher body mass indices in middle-school students.

There are numerous alternative rewards that can be used instead o ood to providepositive reinorcement or students such as holding class outdoors, giving extra
http://www.schoolnutrition.org/Content.aspx?id=7176http://www.schoolnutrition.org/Content.aspx?id=7176http://www.schoolnutrition.org/Content.aspx?id=7176http://www.schoolnutrition.org/Content.aspx?id=7176



credit, non-ood items such as stickers andtemporary tattoos, and awarding individual privi-leges like going rst. For more ideas, see theollowing resources:

Constructive Classroom Rewards, Center orScience in the Public Interest (CSPI)

http://cspinet.org/new/pd/constructive_classroom_rewards.pd

Alternatives to Food as Reward, ConnecticutState Department o Education

www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/DEPS/Student/NutritionEd/Food_Rewards.pd

Classroom Rewards, North Carolina Action orHealthy Kids

www.actionorhealthykids.org/assets/

clubs/nc7-classrewards.pd

All marketing o oods

and beverages should be

restricted to items that meet

the nutritional standards.

The National Policy and Legal Analysis Networkto Prevent Childhood Obesity asserts that stu-dents health-related choices are infuenced bymany actors, but advertising plays a key rolein their decision-making. Schools eorts toteach students how to make inormed choicesabout nutrition can be impeded i students aresubjected to advertising on school property thatcontains messages contrary to or inconsistentwith the health inormation contained in theschools curriculum.

For more inormation on establishing policiesthat restrict ood and beverage advertising,see the ollowing resources:

District Policy or Restricting Food and Bever-

age Advertising on School Grounds, NationalPolicy and Legal Analysis Network

www.nplanonline.org/nplan/products/district-policy-restricting-ood-and-beverage-advertising-school-grounds

Ideas or Alternatives to Using Food as a

Reward rom Ludlow

Elementary SchoolsMake deliveries to oceSchool or special art suppliesTeach class

Trip to treasure box lled with nonood itemsSit by riendsDance to avorite music in classEat lunch with teacher or principalPaperback bookEat lunch outdoors with classShow and tellBe a helper in another classroomTeacher reads special book to classPlay a avorite game or do puzzlesRead or hold class out-o-doors

Stickers, pencils, or bookmarks

Extra art timeCerticatesHave ree choice time at the end o classFun videoListen to book on tapeExtra recessWalk with a teacher or principal

Middle School StudentsSit together with riendsFun videoFun brainteaser activitiesComputer timeAssembliesEat lunch outside or have class outsideListen to music while working at deskFive minute chat break at end o classNo homework passExtra credit

High School StudentsAward o extra bonus points

Fun videoReduced homeworkLate homework passDonated coupons to video stores, musicstores, or moviesDrawings or donated prizes or students whomeet certain grade standards
http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/constructive_classroom_rewards.pdfhttp://cspinet.org/new/pdf/constructive_classroom_rewards.pdfhttp://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/DEPS/Student/NutritionEd/Food_Rewards.pdfhttp://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/DEPS/Student/NutritionEd/Food_Rewards.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/assets/clubs/nc7-classrewards.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/assets/clubs/nc7-classrewards.pdfhttp://www.nplanonline.org/nplan/products/district-policy-restricting-food-and-beverage-advertising-school-groundshttp://www.nplanonline.org/nplan/products/district-policy-restricting-food-and-beverage-advertising-school-groundshttp://www.nplanonline.org/nplan/products/district-policy-restricting-food-and-beverage-advertising-school-groundshttp://www.nplanonline.org/nplan/products/district-policy-restricting-food-and-beverage-advertising-school-groundshttp://www.nplanonline.org/nplan/products/district-policy-restricting-food-and-beverage-advertising-school-groundshttp://www.nplanonline.org/nplan/products/district-policy-restricting-food-and-beverage-advertising-school-groundshttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/assets/clubs/nc7-classrewards.pdfhttp://www.actionforhealthykids.org/assets/clubs/nc7-classrewards.pdfhttp://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/DEPS/Student/NutritionEd/Food_Rewards.pdfhttp://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/DEPS/Student/NutritionEd/Food_Rewards.pdfhttp://cspinet.org/new/pdf/constructive_classroom_rewards.pdfhttp://cspinet.org/new/pdf/constructive_classroom_rewards.pdf



Captive Kids: Selling Obesity at Schools. An Ac-

tion Guide to Stop the Marketing o Unhealthy

Foods and Beverages in School, CaliorniaProject LEAN

www.caliorniaprojectlean.org/docuserles//Captive%20Kids2007.pd

Healthy oods and beverages

should be promoted

throughout the school.

In addition to eliminating all materials thatpromote unhealthy oods and beveragesthroughout the school campus, it is alsoimportant to actively market the healthy items

that are oered. Using various promotionalstrategies such as posters, fyers, giveawaysand announcements will ensure that studentsknow about these products and are motivatedto try them.

Taste testing is a successul marketingmethod that enables students to try out andaccept new oods. It can be as easy as o-ering ree samples o new oods and/orsurveying students on their ood preerences.Many students are unamiliar with whole grainproducts or ruits and vegetables and needencouragement and un opportunities to trythem. Another eective way to motivate thestudent body to eat healthier oods is to ask astudent group, such as the student council, toget involved in student surveying or promotiono healthy eating policies.

For more inormation on promoting healthy oodsand beverages, see the ollowing resources:

Marketing Healthy Foods Tool Kit, Project Breadwww.meals4kids.org/marketing_toolkit/mtk.pd

Students Taking Charge, a acilitators guideor youth and adult leaders to develop youthadvocates or healthier schools, Action orHealthy Kids

www.studentstakingcharge.org

Marketing Healthy Foods

Product. Make healthy oods visually attractiveto students. Use garnishes and display thecontrasting colors and textures o a variety ooods. Oer nger oods that are convenient topick up or cut oods into non-traditional shapes.

Price. Studies show that when schools lowerthe price o healthy oods, and raise the priceo less healthy options, students buy morehealthul items.

Place. Position healthy oods where they areeasy or students to see and access. Createcolorul displays with bright napkins or bas-kets to draw attention to the ood.

Promotion. Post signs or make announce-ments advertising healthy oods. Enlist schooland caeteria sta to encourage students totry healthier items. Jazz up menus and usecreative titles to describe oods.
http://www.californiaprojectlean.org/docuserfiles//Captive%20Kids2007.pdfhttp://www.californiaprojectlean.org/docuserfiles//Captive%20Kids2007.pdfhttp://www.meals4kids.org/marketing_toolkit/mtk.pdfhttp://www.meals4kids.org/marketing_toolkit/mtk.pdfhttp://www.studentstakingcharge.org/http://www.studentstakingcharge.org/http://www.meals4kids.org/marketing_toolkit/mtk.pdfhttp://www.meals4kids.org/marketing_toolkit/mtk.pdfhttp://www.californiaprojectlean.org/docuserfiles//Captive%20Kids2007.pdfhttp://www.californiaprojectlean.org/docuserfiles//Captive%20Kids2007.pdf



A Guide to Taste Testing Local Foods in Schools,Vermont Food Education Every Day (VT FEED)

www.vteed.org/materials/guide-taste-testing-local-oods-schools

Making It Happen! School Nutrition Success

Stories: Adopt Marketing Techniques to Promote

Healthul Choices, USDAs Team Nutrition andthe Centers or Disease Control and Preven-tions Division o Adolescent and School Health

www.ns.usda.gov/tn/resources/k_app4.pd

Healthy School Tool Kit, The Food Trustwww.theoodtrust.org/catalog/download.php?product_id=144

New Look o School Milk, New England Dairyand Food Council

www.newenglanddairycouncil.org/page/new-look-o-school-milk

Street vendors should be

prohibited rom selling

ood within 200 yards rom

a school.

Many street ood vendors sell items that oerempty calories without nutritional value.Children who ll up on these snacks will beless interested in the healthier breakast andlunch options in school. Schools should workwith municipal licensing authorities to estab-lish i, when, or what oods and beverages maybe sold by outside street ood vendors nearschools. Another way to handle this issue isto include it in the school districts wellnesspolicy. Boston Public Schools recently added

Food Trucks on School Grounds to their listo competitive oods that are covered by theirnutritional guidelines.

For more inormation on policies restrictingvendors near school campuses, see the ol-lowing resources:

Policy Bulletin Vendors at or Near School

Campuses, Los Angeles Unied School District

Smarter Lunchrooms 2011

Smarter Lunchrooms 2011 incorporates lunch-room changes (environmental changes) that canlead students to make healthier lunch choiceswithout knowing they were nudged in that di-rection by the way the lunchroom was designed.

www.SmarterLunchrooms.org provides provenwin-win ideas that help students make healthieroods choices and are easy and protable orschools to implement. Some examples include:

A checkout line that was originally laced withtempting chips, cookies and snacks wasreplaced with ruits that were cheaper andpackable. As a result, the number o stu-dents eating ruit increased by 70%.

Moving a salad bar to the middle o thelunchroom resulted in increased visibility,convenience and higher salad sales.

Students were oered a choice between car-rots and celery or their required vegetable(rather than mandating that they eat justcarrots). As a result, waste rom vegetableswas reduced and students received highernutritional content rom ood eaten.
http://www.vtfeed.org/materials/guide-taste-testing-local-foods-schoolshttp://www.vtfeed.org/materials/guide-taste-testing-local-foods-schoolshttp://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resources/k_app4.pdfhttp://www.thefoodtrust.org/catalog/resource.detail.php?product_id=144http://www.thefoodtrust.org/catalog/resource.detail.php?product_id=144http://www.newenglanddairycouncil.org/page/new-look-of-school-milkhttp://www.newenglanddairycouncil.org/page/new-look-of-school-milkhttp://www.smarterlunchrooms.org/http://www.smarterlunchrooms.org/http://www.newenglanddairycouncil.org/page/new-look-of-school-milkhttp://www.newenglanddairycouncil.org/page/new-look-of-school-milkhttp://www.thefoodtrust.org/catalog/resource.detail.php?product_id=144http://www.thefoodtrust.org/catalog/resource.detail.php?product_id=144http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resources/k_app4.pdfhttp://www.vtfeed.org/materials/guide-taste-testing-local-foods-schoolshttp://www.vtfeed.org/materials/guide-taste-testing-local-foods-schools



http://lausd-oehs.org/docs/Bulletins/BUL-4994.pd

Model Ordinance: Healthy Food Zone, NationalPolicy and Legal Analysis Network

www.nplanonline.org/nplan/products/model-healthy-ood-zone-ordinance

Nutrition regulations should

be applied at all times,

including evening and

community events.

Although the minimum requirement or applying

the Massachusetts School Nutrition Regula-tions is 30 minutes beore the start o theschool day through 30 minutes ater the schoolday ends, school districts are encouraged toapply the nutrition standards at all times. Itis important or schools to be consistent inpromoting a healthy school environment, andimplementing the standards 24/7 preventssending mixed messages to students. Schooldistricts or boards o trustees may elect toregulate the nutritional standards beyond thistimerame or School Wellness Advisory Commit-tees may develop and implement regulationswithin the School Wellness Policy.

Adequate time should be

allowed or lunch.

Experts recommend that students be providedwith at least 10 minutes to eat ater sittingdown or breakast and 20 minutes ater

sitting down or lunch. The RelationshipBetween the Length o the Lunch Period

and Nutrient Consumption in the Elementary

School Lunch Settingstudy showed that whenstudents have a longer lunch period theyconsume signicantly more ood and nutrientsthan when their lunch period is shorter;plate waste decreases as well (http://docs.schoolnutrition.org/newsroom/jcnm/04all/bergman/bergman2.asp).

Try It, Youll Like It:

Kid-Approved Menu Items in Fitchburg

Schools in Fitchburg put their Fuel Up to Play60 grants to work to give students a say aboutnew menu choices. Students taste testedand voted on new oods, and popular items

were added to the caeteria meal line. Somestudents even submitted their own healthyrecipes in a contest to garner kid-pleasingnew menu options. Balloting was simple.Students were oered a sample and given aticket which they placed in the appropriate boxlabeled yes or no. Winning items added tothe lunch menu include a banana split (ba-nana cut length-wise and topped with cut reshruit), veggie kabob, whole wheat pita pizzaand yogurt paraits.

New Look o School Milk in Walpole

The new school nutrition director at WalpolePublic Schools used Fuel Up to Play 60 tohelp make nutrient-rich milk more appealingto students. She started serving low-at andat-ree milk in individual plastic bottles andpurchased signage, recycling bins, and newcoolers to help promote the change acrossthe district. As a result, milk sales haveincreased by about 40 percent, and she hasreceived positive eedback rom teachers,administrators, parents and, most importantly,the students!
http://lausd-oehs.org/docs/Bulletins/BUL-4994.pdfhttp://lausd-oehs.org/docs/Bulletins/BUL-4994.pdfhttp://www.nplanonline.org/nplan/products/model-healthy-food-zone-ordinancehttp://www.nplanonline.org/nplan/products/model-healthy-food-zone-ordinancehttp://docs.schoolnutrition.org/newsroom/jcnm/04fall/bergman/bergman2.asphttp://docs.schoolnutrition.org/newsroom/jcnm/04fall/bergman/bergman2.asphttp://docs.schoolnutrition.org/newsroom/jcnm/04fall/bergman/bergman2.asphttp://docs.schoolnutrition.org/newsroom/jcnm/04fall/bergman/bergman2.asphttp://docs.schoolnutrition.org/newsroom/jcnm/04fall/bergman/bergman2.asphttp://docs.schoolnutrition.org/newsroom/jcnm/04fall/bergman/bergman2.asphttp://www.nplanonline.org/nplan/products/model-healthy-food-zone-ordinancehttp://www.nplanonline.org/nplan/products/model-healthy-food-zone-ordinancehttp://lausd-oehs.org/docs/Bulletins/BUL-4994.pdfhttp://lausd-oehs.org/docs/Bulletins/BUL-4994.pdf



Meals should also be scheduled at appropri-ate times, e.g., lunch should be scheduledas close to the middle o the day as possiblebetween 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. so that studentsdont go or long periods o time without eat-ing. Activities such as tutoring, clubs, andorganizational meetings as well as school an-

nouncements should not be scheduled duringmeal times.

Recess should be scheduled

to be held beore lunch.

When oering recess beore lunch, studentsplay then eat! Research shows that studentswaste less ood; behave better on the play-

ground, in the caeteria, and in the classroom;and are more ready to learn upon returningto the classroom immediately ater lunch, soless instructional time is lost (www.nea.org/home/43158.htm).For more inormation on scheduling recessbeore lunch, see:

Recess Beore Lunch Policy Implementation

Guide, Montana Team Nutrition Programhttp://opi.mt.gov/Programs/SchoolPrograms/School_Nutrition/Wellness.html?gpm=1_3#p7GPc1_2

Farm-to-School Initiatives

should be implemented to

enhance access to resh,

locally grown produce.

When schools purchase produce directlyrom Massachusetts arms, students willhave access to locally grown resh ruits andvegetables which are generally resher andtastier. This practice has the added benet osupporting the state agricultural economy andhelping create enhanced and steady revenuestreams or Massachusetts armers. Exposingstudents to a variety o ruits and vegetables

Recess Beore Lunch in Wilmington

Ater hearing about the studies and benetso holding recess beore lunch, the WestIntermediate School in Wilmington decidedto pilot this program in 2010. School lead-ers switched the recess schedule or grade 5

students so that they would go out or recessbeore eating lunch. Ater the switch, stu-dents were observed as more settled duringlunch and were eating more o their lunch andwasting less ood. Teaching sta noticed thatstudents are more attentive and quicker to getback to work when they return to class. Ad-ditionally, data rom school nurse oce visitsindicate a signicant decrease in illness visitsor complaint o headaches and stomach-aches. Due to the programs success, West

Intermediate is planning to oer recess beorelunch in all grades next year.
http://www.nea.org/home/43158.htmhttp://www.nea.org/home/43158.htmhttp://opi.mt.gov/Programs/SchoolPrograms/School_Nutrition/Wellness.html?gpm=1_3#p7GPc1_2http://opi.mt.gov/Programs/SchoolPrograms/School_Nutrition/Wellness.html?gpm=1_3#p7GPc1_2http://opi.mt.gov/Programs/SchoolPrograms/School_Nutrition/Wellness.html?gpm=1_3#p7GPc1_2http://opi.mt.gov/Programs/SchoolPrograms/School_Nutrition/Wellness.html?gpm=1_3#p7GPc1_2http://opi.mt.gov/Programs/SchoolPrograms/School_Nutrition/Wellness.html?gpm=1_3#p7GPc1_2http://opi.mt.gov/Programs/SchoolPrograms/School_Nutrition/Wellness.html?gpm=1_3#p7GPc1_2http://www.nea.org/home/43158.htmhttp://www.nea.org/home/43158.htm



gives them the opportunity to taste oods theymay never have tried or seen beore in theirnatural, resh state.

For more inormation on arm-to-school strate-gies, see the ollowing resources:

The Massachusetts Farm-to-School Project helpsto match local armers and schools to buildsustainable ood purchasing relationships.

www.armtoschool.org/MA

Farm-to-School Toolkit provides resources orarms, schools, amilies and communities tohelp meet their arm-to-school goals, Washing-ton State Department o Agriculture.

www.waarmtoschool.org

Nutrition education should

be provided to students.

While the Act Relative to School Nutritionaddresses obesity prevention and nutritioneducation training o school sta (schoolnurses, school nutrition directors, and othersta), successul implementation o theseregulations should include nutrition educationor students. According to CDC, education thatincorporates topics o healthy eating has beenshown to improve student dietary behaviors.As required by law, every school districts well-ness policy must include goals or nutritioneducation. This would include comprehensivehealth education as well as integrating les-sons on nutrition into core curricula such aslanguage arts, math and science. To reinorcethese lessons and prepare students or get-ting used to the new oods, school nutritionservices might collaborate with classroom

teachers to provide nutrition-related learningexperiences or students.

For more inormation on nutrition education orstudents, see the ollowing resources:

Planet Health An Interdisciplinary Curriculum

or Teaching Middle School Nutrition and Physi-

cal Activity

http://planet-health.org

Farm-to-School Programs in Massachusetts

Currently 194 public school districts and 77colleges and private schools in Massachu-setts said that they preerentially purchasedlocally grown ood during the 2009-2010school year. During that year 95 arms, in-

cluding Czajkowski Farm in Hadley and LanniOrchards in Lunenburg, sold directly to one ormore institutions.

Lawrence Public Schools have had greatsuccess with their arm-to-school initiative.Besides the natural win-win benets o thecollaboration, notes Lawrences School Nutri-tion Services Director, my avorite componento the project is the student interaction withthe local arms. For example, the elementary

students love having the Lanni Orchards arm-ers visit the classroom to learn about wherethe ood comes rom. At our high school,the students partnered with Jones Farm andstarted a garden, and last year studentsserved the vegetables rom the garden as parto our summer meals program as a FeaturedMenu Item. What a great way to emphasize lo-cal arms, and create excitement about eatingresh ruits and vegetables!

Ware Public Schools celebrated Massachu-setts Harvest or Students Week by servingresh, locally grown ood to students. Themenu or the week included locally grownproduce rom McKinstrys Market Garden inChicopee and Breezeland Orchards in Warren.Locally grown apples, salad greens, toma-toes, squash, and potatoes were among thesampling o resh, seasonal produce that wasserved. During that same year, cabbage inthe orm o resh coleslaw and garden veg-etable soup was eatured rom the districts

garden located at the SMK Elementary School.
http://www.farmtoschool.org/MAhttp://www.wafarmtoschool.org/http://planet-health.org/http://planet-health.org/http://www.wafarmtoschool.org/http://www.farmtoschool.org/MA



Eat Well and Keep Moving An Interdisciplin-

ary Curriculum or Teaching Upper Elementary

School Nutrition and Physical Activity

www.eatwellandkeepmoving.org

Fertile Ground creates comprehensive expe-riential learning programs that teach school

children about growing ood and create oppor-tunities or them to delight in resh vegetablesthrough teaching gardens, classroom cooking,harvest celebrations, and visits to local arms.

www.ertilegroundschools.org

Seeds o Solidarityis a nonprot organizationthat provides practical tools or schools to userenewable energy to grow ood.

www.seedsosolidarity.org

Nutrition education should

be provided to parents.

Its also important to educate parents onnutrition and the new Massachusetts SchoolNutrition Regulations. Schools that com-municate with amilies about healthy eatinginitiatives create a greater understanding oschool activities, which might increase theirsupport and participation in school policiesand practices. This inormation can be com-municated at parent-teacher nights, PTA/PTOmeetings and/or through written communica-tions, e.g., school website, parent newsletters,email (see page 45 or an example o a parentletter template that could be used).

Family involvement can increase childrensknowledge and attitudes about healthyliestyles, infuence behavior change, andprovide social support or being healthy. To

get amilies more involved, schools havebeen successul in sponsoring amily nutritionnights where parents can actually see andtaste the oods being oered to students. Par-ents can also learn new cooking techniquesto prepare healthier ood at home, either atschool or rom resources provided by theschool, such as the Mass in Motion website(www.mass.gov/massinmotion).

Students Educate Themselves and Others in...

DorchesterThe Nutrition Action Club (NAC) at CodmanAcademy Charter Public School is an elite,student-run club that educates the studentbody about nutrition. They present their

healthy messages at weekly school-wide as-semblies, through inormative public serviceannouncements, and entertaining skits. Oneo their most impressive accomplishmentswas to petition the schools board o trusteesto enact a policy making Codman Academya Junk Food Free Campus, eective August2011. Students, amilies, sta, and com-munity members are asked to sign a pledgeagreeing not to bring junk ood on campus andstudents struggling to hold to their pledge are

assigned buddies in the NAC to help them.

QuincyElementary students participating in Com-munity Service Learning in Quincy identiedneeds and problems to investigate ater be-ing taught a unit on healthul oods. As theylearned more about the problem o hunger ex-perienced by homeless children, the studentsbecame aware o their good ortune to live ina house and have a rerigerator with healthyood in it. Students decided to communicatewhat they learned about healthy eating to oth-er children who were less ortunate than theyare. These students decided to put togetherhealthy snacks that could be bought and givento the homeless children. The students alsocreated two-sided nutritional cards depictingthe ood pyramid, the ood group the snackrepresented and its benets or the body.Students made ood pyramids or posting onrerigerators o local shelters. The school andlocal, broader communities became aware

o these student eorts when the studentspresented the homeless children with theirsnacks and nutritional cards.
http://www.eatwellandkeepmoving.org/http://www.fertilegroundschools.org/http://www.seedsofsolidarity.org/http://www.mass.gov/massinmotionhttp://www.mass.gov/massinmotionhttp://www.seedsofsolidarity.org/http://www.fertilegroundschools.org/http://www.eatwellandkeepmoving.org/



For more inormation on nutrition educationor parents and amilies, see the ollowingresources:

Families as Partners: Fostering Family Engage-

ment or Healthy and Successul Students,a resource to help school leaders eec-

tively engage amilies in schools, particularlyaround school health issues, National SchoolBoard Association

www.nsba.org/Board-Leadership/SchoolHealth/Family-Engagement-in-Health/Families-as-Partners.pd

Balancing Act provides healthy liestyle ideasand resources or amilies, Harvard PilgrimHealth Foundation

www.harvardpilgrim.org/pls/portal/docs/

PAGE/MEMBERS/FOUNDATION/GROWING-UPHEALTHY-BALANCING-ACT.PDF

Fuel Up to Play 60 At Home Tools or Par-ents, National Dairy Counciland the NationalFootball League

http://school.ueluptoplay60.com/tools/nutrition-education/at-home-tools.php

We Can, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institutewww.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan

Gardens in Framingham

Thanks to the vision o the Nutrition ServicesDirector oFramingham Public Schools, newvegetable, ruit, and herb gardens are in ullbloom at Framingham High School. Thesecommunity gardens promise to inspire student

learning, healthy eating, and town pride. Whenully completed, the Saxonvil

guidelines for implementing the massachusetts school nutrition standards

Documents