Step 1: Get Educated
This section is to help you better understand the school food system and the challenges that schools experience. For more information on the importance of school food, visit the Why School Food Matters page on our website.
The School Food Advocacy Toolkit covers: Get Educated (current page), Get Organized, Get Support, Take Action.
Step 1: Get Educated
This section is to help you better understand the school food system and the challenges that schools experience. For more information on the importance of school food, visit the Why School Food Matters page on our website.
The School Food Advocacy Toolkit covers: Get Educated (current page), Get Organized, Get Support, Take Action.
Kids Like Healthy Food
- When cafeterias serve up change with fresh and scratch cooked food, more students eat and enjoy what they’re eating!
- Offering healthy school food enhances the appeal of school meals and increases student access to local fresh fruits and vegetables.
Healthy School Food Teaches Lifelong Habits
- Through healthy school meals and lunchroom education, students learn healthy eating habits that will stick with them throughout their lives.
- Diverse school food offerings give students opportunities to learn more about and interact with the world around them through the reflection and celebration of different cultural backgrounds in food.
- School food can teach students about sustainability, local economies and local producers, nutrition, and can add a new dimension to classroom education.
What is School Food?
School Food At A Glance
Understanding school food in America can be dizzying. In this infographic, we break down the following topics in a way that is easy to digest!
Your District’s Local Wellness Policy
The Child Nutrition Act requires all schools participating in the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program to write and implement a local school wellness policy. This document covers everything from school food to nutrition education programs to physical activity recommendations. The USDA’s Local School Wellness Policy page details the background, requirements and evaluation of these policies. It’s important to familiarize yourself with your district’s Local Wellness Policy.
Note: Keep in mind that sometimes the district’s main school food priorities may not be outlined in a wellness policy, visit the Get Support section for more discussion on identifying others priorities and alignment with your advocacy group.
Your District’s Local Wellness Policy
The Child Nutrition Act requires all schools participating in the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program to write and implement a local school wellness policy. This document covers everything from school food to nutrition education programs to physical activity recommendations. The USDA’s Local School Wellness Policy page details the background, requirements and evaluation of these policies. It’s important to familiarize yourself with your district’s Local Wellness Policy.
Note: Keep in mind that sometimes the district’s main school food priorities may not be outlined in a wellness policy, visit the Get Support section for more discussion on identifying others priorities and alignment with your advocacy group.
Identify Priorities
Before you begin to reach out to others in the community, it’s important to determine your top priorities. There are lots of opportunities in the world of school food, so choosing where to start will help focus your work and help you bring together stakeholders for your advocacy group. Determine if the issues you’re interested in are school-based or district-based. District-based decisions can include things like local procurement and length of lunch periods, while school-based decisions include things like school gardens and lunch period scheduling. A good rule of thumb is that most systemic and sustainable changes happen at the district level, and that a few smaller changes to begin with can lead to larger, more sustainable change in the future. Consider factors as you choose priorities.
Identify Priorities
Before you begin to reach out to others in the community, it’s important to determine your top priorities. There are lots of opportunities in the world of school food, so choosing where to start will help focus your work and help you bring together stakeholders for your advocacy group. Determine if the issues you’re interested in are school-based or district-based. District-based decisions can include things like local procurement and length of lunch periods, while school-based decisions include things like school gardens and lunch period scheduling. A good rule of thumb is that most systemic and sustainable changes happen at the district level, and that a few smaller changes to begin with can lead to larger, more sustainable change in the future. Consider factors as you choose priorities.
Nutrition for Kids: Guidelines for a healthy diet: This resource from Mayo Clinic details dietary basics for children and adolescents.
Eating Healthy: The Center For Science in the Public Interest pulls together independent, science-based advice about what to eat and what to avoid when it comes to a healthy diet.
My Plate: Based off of the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, this site includes resources to help you and your family eat a healthy, varied diet. Browse by audience to find tools focused on children, teenagers, adults and families.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Updated every five years by the Department of Health & Human Services and the USDA.
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