Should Children Drink Diet Soft Drinks?

There was a time when our mothers only gave us soft drinks and colas on an occasion. When we came in from hard play outside (another element of our upbringing that's all but disappeared), we had milk... water... or Koolaid if lucky.

Read this brief article linked below from http://www.eXtension.org/ about the negatives of soft drinks replacing more wholesome beverages for children. Then, think about what you could do as a parent relative to improving the beverages your children drink. As well, consider how much activity your kids get in comparison to what play time was like in your childhood. Now, tell me why you are waiting for the school to do what you need to be doing?

Should Children Drink Diet Drinks? - eXtension

Talk with Rachael Ray about School Food

Rachael Ray Pictures
Rachael Ray Pictures

Talk show host, Rachael Ray is apparently quite serious about helping to improve the quality of school food. She will be prepared to discuss the status of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act, along with Feeding America CEO, Vicki Escarra. Also on the agenda -- sharing of ideas and what you can do to help.

The "Child Hunger Virtual Town Hall Meeting" is being held this Thursday, May 6th at 2:00 P.M. ET and callers are encouraged to come with their questions for Rachael.

Website to get more details and to register:
http://www.hungeractioncenter.org/register_VTH.aspx

If you tune in to the teleconference, come back and let us know what you thought of it and if you will be taking any decisive actions as a result of what you heard.

Eating Green

Is it possible to "eat green"? According to the "Feeding Kids" Newsletter editor and writer, Connie Liakos Evers, MS, RD, LD, not only possible but highly recommended. So, for the 40th anniversary of EARTH DAY, here are eating green tips that will undoubtedly supplement your efforts toward a greener lifestyle. Happy Earth Day!

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10 Steps To Eating Green
Feeding Kids Newsletter: News and Views On Child Nutrition
August 2009

Better health, a safer food supply, and a more sustainable environment all result from making conscious choices about food and eating.

The principles of eating green run parallel to the basics of eating well. A green diet emphasizes a wide variety of whole, unprocessed vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, nuts, low-fat dairy (or a dairy substitute made from soy, rice, or almonds), healthy oils, eggs and smaller portions of meat, poultry, and fish. A green diet is naturally high in fiber, nutrients and beneficial plant compounds known as phytochemicals. Not only are green foods easier on the planet, they also provide optimal nutrition for growing, active kids.


1.) Eat whole, unprocessed foods as much as possible. Foods in their whole, natural forms require far less energy, packaging and transporting than their highly processed counterparts. Think baked potato instead of "potato crisps."

2.) Eat less meat. Plant-based foods such as legumes, grains, nuts and seeds are rich sources of protein. Most Americans eat far more protein than needed for growth, repair and maintenance. Meat production – particularly that involving ruminant animals such as cattle, sheep, and goats – has the largest carbon footprint of any agricultural activity. You don't have to go total vegetarian to make a difference. Simply cut back on portion sizes, use smaller amounts of meat in mixed dishes, or incorporate a few meatless main courses each month.

3.) Whenever possible, eat food that is grown, caught and processed close to home. Adapt diets to accommodate the local foods that are in season. Patronize local farmers by purchasing food at farmer's markets, farm direct stores, or community supported agriculture (CSA) food shares.
Grow some of your own food in a home garden, patio containers, or a community garden plot. It's fun, educational and delicious.

4.) Learn more about certified organic foods and when it makes the most sense to purchase organically grown foods. Grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms, organic farming employs green principles of agricultural production. Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products are raised without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones.


Get the remaining 6 steps at: http://nutritionforkids.com/emlnews/FK-August09.htm#grn

Kids Will Be Too Fat To Fight

Our kids are becoming too fat to fight... so says a group of US military leaders in Washington yesterday. The trending toward obesity is so significant, it's reportedly become a national security issue.

"When over a quarter of young adults are too fat to fight, we need to take notice," Barnett said. He noted that national security in the year 2030 is "absolutely dependent" on reversing child obesity rates."

Now that's saying something... potentially headed toward not having enough people to defend our country. As well, consider that the military speaking out about childhood obesity and the quality of school lunch meals may not be such a bad thing. As the article goes on to remind us, it is because of the military's issue with poorly nourished recruits that we have a national school lunch program today. School lunches were supplied for our national security back in 1946. What about now? And, what about all the other contributors to the "obesity epidemic", besides lunch?

Nevertheless, perhaps the military's input will produce some changes in the program they've touted since its inception as a national security need. Maybe now it will get supported and funded as if it is "a need". Read the story for yourself and comment below.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Report links school lunches to national security
By MARY CLARE JALONICK (AP) – April 20, 2009

WASHINGTON — Too fat to fight? Many American children are so overweight from being fed french fries, pizza and other unhealthy foods at school lunchrooms that they cannot handle the physical rigors of being in the military, a group of retired officers say in a new report. [Continued at --- http://goo.gl/ML8P ]

Eleven VT Schools receive Farm to School Grants

Really good news for the schools receiving extra funds from grants jointly awarded by VT Agency of Ag and the VT Farm to School Network!

"The Vermont Farm to School grant program is in its fourth year and works to improve kids’ diets by linking local producers and schools. The grant program encourages schools to engage students in their local food system by incorporating local food and farm education in their cafeterias, classrooms and communities.
This year, grants were awarded to eleven schools. Five are implementation grants and six are planning grants. Schools who received grants in 2009 were on hand with displays demonstrating how the money had made an impact on their school and the important role the grants played in bringing more local foods to their cafeteria while making connections with local farmers."

Not that schools that don't receive extra funding can't do anything. It just requires a bit more resourcefulness to make head-way. But it's something to consider for the near future --- obtaining grants to adminster directly thru the Schoharie Valley Farm to School Project and apply to participating schools. Funds for teaching resources, farm tours, school garden seeds and soil, and to purchase more local fruits and veggies... all on our collective list of "things to do". Nevertheless, money can help to speed the process... and get to the desired results sooner for the benefit of the kids and te community.

How do you think we should proceed? Click 'comments' and let us know.

In the meantime, read the full Vermont story on what they are doing in that state to 'turn the page' and increase local produce and ag/food/nutrition education in schools : Eleven VT Schools receive Farm to School Grants

SV Farm to School Awarded "Honorable Mention" for Farm to You Fest Activities

Schoharie Valley Farm to School Project is proud to announce that it was recognized with a "Honorable Mention" Award on Feburary 1st! The award was made by NYS Commissioner of Ag and Markets, Patrick Hooker, at the annual School Nutrition Association Partnership Awards Dinner held in Albany NY. This was our first award submission as a group. Read the Commissioner's presentation remarks in full below!

[Photo by Ann McMahon; Josie Ennist (Schoharie CSD Fd. Svc.) and Deb Rosko (Berne/Knox/Westerlo CSD Fd. Svc.) accept the award for the SV Farm to School Project from NYS Commissioner Hooker]

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First, I’d like to extend my thanks to Carol Beebe, Ray Denniston and the School Nutrition Association for inviting me here tonight. And thanks to all the food service directors, wellness committees and teachers for taking time to make New York State agriculture a part of your school meals and activities.

‘Farm to You Fest: A Celebration of Local Food and Agriculture’ - what a great idea!

The Department of Agriculture & Markets is very happy to be involved in this. We know that we have the best growers, producing the best fresh products, and we are proud to promote them every way we can.

Each year, I have the honor of presenting awards to schools for, not only the fun and educational work they do during the ‘Farm to You Fest’ week in October; but also for the real and significant efforts made to support local agriculture, local markets and the health of our kids.

Awards are made in three categories:
• Merchandizing / Promoting Local Foods and Farms
• Working with Local Farmers
• Building Partnerships and Integrating Farm to School into Wellness Activities

And this year the outstanding projects from 2009 ‘Farm to You Fest’ are:

In the category of ‘Merchandizing and Promoting Local Foods, and Farms’ the winner is: Bethlehem Central School District (Delmar)

We recognize the Healthy Kids Committee: Karen Shaw and Colleen Carroll-Barbuto, Co-Presidents, and Paul Franchini, Food Service Director.

Bethlehem Central Schools celebrated the ‘Farm to You Fest’ week with many events, classroom lessons, field trips, great food and connections to local farms and the community. For the full month of October the school featured produce from a local farm.

Activities that helped engage students to begin thinking about what is ‘local’ and why local food is important included: Farmers Market Scavenger Hunt; Farm Fresh Recipe Contest; Middle School Organic Kitchen Garden; Dairy Farm Field Trip; Farmers Visiting Classrooms; Posters and School Lobby Displays; Art Classes; and Library and Community Activities.

Paul Franchini served foods from local farms, such as: cabbage, potatoes, broccoli and ratatouille with eggplant, zucchini and summer squash. It was reported that the produce was so fresh the students could see and taste the difference!

The very special project: Squash Hunger Produce Drive provided 1,000 pounds of fresh produce to feed community members in need.

Albany Times Union newspaper even featured the Bethlehem School District for their efforts in an article titled: “Veggie Tales: Students learn about the Value of Local foods and Fresh Produce.”

Congratulations!

The winner is in the category of ‘Working with Local Farmers’ is: Bloomfield Central School District (Ontario County)

Tonight we recognize Todd Fowler, Food Service Director for Bloomfield.

Bloomfield Central School has had a successful Farm to School Program for several years using local foods on the ‘Farmers Market’ cafeteria serving line.

Now they have taken it to a new level: After exploring ways to extend the use of fresh, local foods, they decided to explore and develop a method to preserve fresh food by freezing it.

With the support of a local farmer, Chris Luley, from the Happy Goat Farm in Naples, they developed a seven step process to turn farm fresh products into a frozen - ready to use form in the cafeteria. The steps used are: precut and soak, cut uniform florets, blanch or steam, shock in ice bath, drain dry, bag for freezing, and full freeze to larger bags. This makes it possible to have local, nutritious produce ready to use through out the school year.

Todd didn’t stop there! In the future we should hear more detailed information about this project and he plans to work on dehydration as another method to preserve local foods for later consumption.

Congratulations!

The third winning school in the category of ‘Building Partnerships and Integrating Farm to School into Wellness Activities’ is: PS 205 Alexander Graham Bell from Bayside, Queens

Ilene Marks and Fran Bosi are to be recognized from Public School 205.

PS 205 has made it a priority to bring awareness about nutrition and healthy food options to their students. The school has had a vegetable garden since 1998 and a small working farm. The first and fifth grade students help out with the planting and harvesting of the garden.

This year to celebrate Farm to You Fest, the school hosted a Farmers Market that ran all day, offering their own local foods. To participate in the Farmers Market the students paid a small fee and then had the opportunity to buy and enjoy the garden fresh produce. Proceeds raised from the market were donated to City Harvest, a hunger outreach organization.

The school always participates in Ag Literacy Day. This year they read the book “Sugar Bush Spring”, the story was about where maple syrup comes from.

Overall, the gardening and Farm to School activities have helped the students at Alexander Graham Bell school learn to eat healthier and help less fortunate people in our community.

Congratulations!

While every single school that participates in the annual ‘Farm to You Fest’ and the farm to school efforts, are champions at Dept of Ag & Mkts, we would like to highlight a few more outstanding programs that came to our attention this year:

Honorable Mention goes to these outstanding ‘Farm to School’ Programs:

• Maple Hill Middle School
• Mexico Academy and Central School
• Smart Choice Café - Oswego County Schools
• PS 41 the Greenwich Village School
• Schoharie Valley Farm to School Project

My staff is ready to help you start planning you ‘Farm to You Fest 2010!’ The dates of the 2010 celebration week are: September 27th - October 3rd. Again, thank you all for supporting your local farmers, educating the kids about the many benefits of 'keeping it local, and for providing the children of New York State with the most delicious, most nutritious food possible.

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On behalf of the Schoharie Valley Farm to School Project, I would also like to extend our congratulations to all of the winners! As one can gather from the descriptions of their activities, a lot of effort went into these Farm to School//Harvest Fest activities, yet they are all very different from school to school. There is no one way to pursue the increased placement of fresh produce on the school menu from local sources! So call us if you would like to help us, now and into the 2011 school year. Contact the CCE Schoharie County Office at 518-234-4303 and ask for this writer!


Regina Tillman, MS, RD

reBlog from fooducate.com: Why Michelle Obama’s Initiative to Reduce Childhood Obesity Will Fail | Fooducate

Image via Wikipedia

Found this article today that looks at both sides of the coin - so to speak - in our local and national efforts to mitigate childhood obesity rates and to support local farmers.

It stated that on Wednesday, January 20th, Michelle Obama made an announcement that marks the beginning of her second year as First Lady...

"First Lady Michelle Obama has a legacy she wants
to leave behind: drastically reducing childhood obesity. Yesterday at a Mayors
Conference in Washington DC, she announced a new initiative in this spirit, to
be formally announced in February."

fooducate.com, Why Michelle Obama’s Initiative to Reduce Childhood Obesity Will Fail Fooducate, Jan 2010

Topping the list of proposed action items is improving school lunches! But, clearly, obstacles exist to this and to the other listed points of action. Let's just say... let's follow the money. According to this article, billions upon billions of dollars - and related jobs - are invested in the continued unhealthiness of the U.S. population. So - can we really turn this around?

You should read the whole article. Then, give your opinion on the potentials for meaningful success on this monumental challenge, by clicking on "comment" below. In the meantime, we will be sure to bring you updates on Ms Obama's initiative.