Child Nutrition Resources
This page introduces curricula, training videos and additional resources for child nutrition professionals. To find delicious recipes adapted for school cafeterias that follow USDA guidelines, click here.
Culinary
Food Prep and Safety Videos
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Building Flavors: Roasting Vegetables Project
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Veggie Safety: Introduction
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Veggie Safety: Leafy Greens
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Veggie Safety: Melons
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Veggie Safety: Tomato
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Veggie Safety: Summary
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Knife Skills: Chiffonade
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Knife Skills: Safety
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Knife Skills: Slicing and Dicing
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Mise En Place
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Building Flavors: Herbs
| Training Materials | |
|---|---|
| Mise En Place (pdf) | Download |
| Food Safety for Fresh Prep (pdf) | Download |
| Basic Vegetable Cookery (pdf) | Download |
| Intro To Grains (pdf) | Download |
| Fruit and Veggies 101 (pdf) | Download |
| Mise En Place Worksheet (pdf) | Download |
| Herbs and Spices (pdf) | Download |
| Knife and Cooking Skills for Foodservice (pdf) | Download |
| It's All About Flavor (pdf) | Download |
| National Foodservice Management Institute- Produce Safety University A series of resources on produce safety that describe best practices for receiving, storing, handling, and purchasing fresh and fresh-cut produce through videos, fact sheets, and PowerPoint presentations. | Visit |
| National Foodservice Management Institute- Culinary Techniques Culinary Techniques for Healthy School Meals presents step-by-step food preparation techniques to produce healthy and delicious school meals. | Visit |
| Wake Up Your Senses (pdf) | Download |
Nutrition and Menu Planning
Child Nutrition Overview
| Tips and Tools | |
|---|---|
| Nutrition Education and Meal Pattern (pdf) | Download |
| USDA Child Nutrition Food Buying Guide The Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs has all of the current information in one manual to help you and your purchasing agent 1) buy the right amount of food and the appropriate type of food for your program(s), and 2) determine the specific contribution each food makes toward the meal pattern requirements. | Visit |
| Alliance for a Healthier Generation-Smart Snack Calculator Take the guesswork out of nutrition guidelines with the new Alliance Product Calculator for Smart Snacks! Simply enter the product information, answer a few questions, and determine whether your beverage, snack, side or entrée item meets the new USDA Smart Snacks in School Guidelines. | Visit |
| USDA Healthy Meals Resource System The Healthy Meals Resource System is an online information center for USDA Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) and has been delivering resources to CNP staff since 1995. | Visit |
| The Lunch Box- Tools for School Food Change An online resource that provides free step-by-step guides, tools, and recipes to help schools improve their food programs. | Visit |
| Chef Ann Foundation The Chef Ann Foundation (CAF) actively supports school districts nationwide through grant programs and by providing tried and tested tools for school food change. | Visit |
| Oklahoma Farm to School Farm to School brings Oklahoma grown food into school cafeterias giving students the opportunity to taste farm fresh foods and learn how their food is grown. | Visit |
Marketing & Smarter Lunchroom
| Tips and Tools | |
|---|---|
| Give Foods Catchy Names Activity (pdf) | Download |
| Lunch Line Redesign Activity (pdf) | Download |
| Fruits and Vegetables Galore: Getting students to eat more Fruits & Vegetables Galore is a tool for school foodservice professionals packed with tips on planning, purchasing, protecting, preparing, presenting and promoting fruits and vegetables. | Visit |
| Healthy Food Choices at Schools eXtension Community of Practice This is where you can find research-based information from America's land-grant universities. | Visit |
| Eat With Your Eyes (pdf) | Download |
| Smarter Lunchrooms (pdf) | Download |
| Produce for Better Health Foundation The Health & Wellness Resource Guide for Fruits & Vegetables includes new nutrition facts panels, health and nutrient content claims, social media posts, and healthy recipes with photos for 41 top produce items, with enhanced information about artichokes, potatoes, pears, and 100% Concord Grape Juice. Background information on consumption trends and responses to common consumer questions are also provided. | Download |
Funding and Grant Opportunities
| Programs and Resources | |
|---|---|
| Let’s Move Salad Bars to School A grant program that helps schools expand their commitment to serving fresh fruits and vegetables by implementing salad bars as part of their daily meal programs. | Visit |
| Certified Healthy Schools The Certified Healthy School Program was started in 2010 by a health champion in the Oklahoma legislature. The program is administered by the Oklahoma Turning Point Council and the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Center for the Advancement of Wellness. Certified Healthy School recognizes school sites that are working to improve student and employee health by providing wellness opportunities and implementing policies that lead to healthier lifestyles. | Visit |
| Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program FFVP can be an important tool in our efforts to combat childhood obesity. The Program has been successful in introducing school children to a variety of produce that they otherwise might not have the opportunity to sample. | Visit |
| USDA: Grants/Funding Opportunities Find information on specific grants related to child nutrition and physical activity as well as resources to locate grants and information on the grant writing process. | Visit |
| Project Produce: Fruit and Veggie Grants for Schools Skoop and the Chef Ann Foundation have teamed up to launch Project Produce: Fruit and Veggie Grants for Schools. These $2,500 grants help schools increase kids’ access to fresh fruits and veggies and nutrition education. | Visit |
| Fuel Up to Play 60 Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by National Dairy Council and NFL, in collaboration with the USDA, to help encourage today's youth to lead healthier lives. Up to $4,000 per year is available to qualified K-12 schools enrolled in Fuel Up to Play 60 to jumpstart healthy changes. | Visit |
| Dairy Max School Nutrition Equipment Grant | Visit |
Healthy School Food Environment
Videos
| Tips and Tools | |
|---|---|
| Tailoring the Sample School Wellness Policy Schools play a critical role in fostering lifelong healthy habits in children. Children and youth spend the majority of their time during their formative years at school, where they consume at least half of their daily calories. Studies have shown that students who are more physically active and eat more nutritious diet perform better in school. School wellness policies communicate commitment to students, parents, teachers and administrators healthy environments, healthy students and academic progress are priorities. In fact, all school districts participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program are required to adopt a written wellness policy. Many schools have found using a policy template helpful in writing an effective policy. The attached Policy Development Guide offers an editable version of a school wellness policy that includes all of the best practices for achieving a healthy school environment and that meets federal and state regulations. For schools not yet ready to adopt all the practices the guide provides options to tailor the policy to meet the district’s specific goals and needs. | Download |
| Smart Snack Suggestions | Download |
| Smart Snacks Fact Sheet | Download |
| Healthy Fundraising (USDA Healthy Meals Resource System) | Visit |