It’s Almost Time To Start Thinking About School Lunches

By DeDe Hausmann Before we know it, kids will be headed back to school.  The National School Lunch Program, which most public/private schools work with (for federal funding), requires that nutritious and economical meals must be prepared.  We work closely with Indiana School Nutrition Directors and cafeteria personnel so we know that they strive to [...]

Getting to know Mary Nicholson

  What do you do at Indiana Dairy? My title is Program Coordinator. I work a lot with the Fuel Up to Play 60 program which means being involved with teachers and schools.  I’m also a “liaison” to the Indiana School Nutrition Association. What is your favorite part of your job? I get to work [...]

National School Breakfast Week

By Mary Nicholson Once again, it’s time to celebrate School Breakfast Week, and this year’s theme is The Search for Super Energy. The “School Breakfast Detectives” campaign allows students to “clue into” the importance of school breakfast and will demonstrate how eating school breakfast sets you up for a busy day at school. This fun [...]

National School Lunch Week

By: Mary Nicholson It’s time for lunch, and you’re the cook.  Are you ready for your guests to arrive?  You better have plenty of room because you’ll be serving about 31,000,000 mouths!  That’s how many students are served lunch every day in schools across the country who participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).  [...]

World School Milk Day

Create a Healthier World

Celebrate the 11th Annual World School Milk Day (WSMD) on Wednesday, September 29!

Do South Bend School Meal Programs Make the Grade?

The National School Lunch Program provides meals for over 30 million children in the US every day. Everywhere you look, school meals have come under more scrutiny by the media, parents, students, and those concerned with the health of our youth. Recently, Newsweek issued a “Back to School” feature article highlighting school lunch deficiencies and improvements across the country, and just last week, the South Bend Tribune featured “Send the School Menu to Detention”, written by a seventh grader concerned with the fat content of meals at LaSalle Intermediate Academy in South Bend. Wanting to know more, I set out to interview some of the people involved in meal planning and preparation, as well as observe and experience, for myself, some of our local school meal offerings.

Breakfast… Not Just for Kids!

During September, National Breakfast Month, concentrate on eating breakfast such as cereal, milk and juice or a fruit smoothie. Breakfast kick starts our day, providing nutrients to the brain as well as the body. Even better is that breakfast is for everyone! Of course, children benefits from breakfast, too! Eating breakfast at school helps kids perform better, as shown by them making fewer mistakes as well as having an increase in math and reading scores. So, now you may be thinking, “What am I going to eat in the rush of the morning?” Try these simple, quick, and delicious tips recommended by dietitians.

BREAKFAST — It’s a Daily Necessity for Our Kids!!!!

We hear too often that a student doesn’t have time for breakfast. Then later in the morning he or she can’t figure out why they can’t concentrate at school, have so little energy, or even have a headache. Come on – get real!!! Studies regarding an AM meal have proven that breakfast, especially breakfast at school, may very well be one of the most important tools for helping kids improve their health, their grades, and their behavior. It can also help them reach their greatest potential!

Got Milk, Bananas, or Apples Without Sugar?

The law of unintended consequences is at work in all places and at all times. One of these places is schools, where some are advocating for the removal of chocolate milk from cafeterias. And, the reason might seem reasonable: the amount of sugar in chocolate milk. Yes, there is sugar in milk, even in plain, unflavored white milk; it is called lactose. There are about 12 grams of lactose in white milk. But did you know there is also sugar in bananas or apples? It’s called fructose. Both lactose and fructose are naturally occurring sugars which are carbohydrates that help fuel your body. But it’s the added sugar in flavored milk that is at the heart of the controversy.

Health & Academic Achievement in Hoosier Schools

Indiana Action for Healthy Kids is a network of concerned Hoosiers who are passionate about helping our youth develop healthy lifestyles. So, what does it do to recognize schools that have made it a mission to help their students adopt more healthy lifestyles? They plan a celebration to recognize those schools and provide breakout sessions and networking opportunities so that any Hoosier interested in providing a healthy school environment can get needed information to accomplish just that.