children

One of my favorite activities is to see FNS programs in action. Therefore, as often as I can, I try to visit schools that know how to have fun while feeding kids healthy meals. Recently, I had the chance to visit Rialto Unified School District (RUSD) and learn about their success in doing just that...

Last month, I spent three days in Michigan and while spring weather in the Great Lakes State doesn’t appeal to some, I was excited to make the trip. After all, when I was a student at the University of Michigan (Go Blue!), I volunteered at Food Gatherers. So, when asked to speak at their “The State...

On January 15-16, 2023, I attended the School Nutrition Industry Conference in San Diego. There, I met with many of our food industry partners that deliver food to school districts across the country. Food industry partners play a crucial role in producing, procuring and delivering food for our...

I recently had the opportunity to join my daughter for breakfast at her school. Every morning, she asks me what’s on the menu for her school’s breakfast. And that morning was no different. The moment I told her, they were serving mini pancakes – her favorite – with craisins and applesauce, she...

This past February, I attended the Urban School Food Alliance winter meeting in Los Angeles, California, which included Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) sessions focused on child nutrition programs. Participants, which included food service directors from around the country, had the opportunity to...

Prior to becoming the Food and Nutrition Service Administrator at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, I spent many years with USDA working in the child nutrition space. I quickly became passionate about my work, recognizing that school meals are critical to children’s success in school and their...

Over the last two years, we’ve experienced major disruptions in the world of school meals – new realities stemming from pandemic-related school closures and supply chain disruptions which have impacted the cost and availability of food, staff, and supplies. Through it all, our dedicated school...

USDA is collaborating with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the Closer to Zero (C2Z) initiative. C2Z provides a crucial framework for the work that must be done to reduce heavy metal content in foods, but particularly in foods consumed by infants and children, our most vulnerable group.

Stop by any trailhead or boat landing on a national forest or grassland and take a moment to ask folks to explain the origins of their love for the outdoors. You will likely hear people return time and again to some formative experience they had in grade school. For some, the smell of the pine...

You’re working from home and facing constant interruption by your child who needs help with a chore, schoolwork, or preparing a snack. Sound familiar? Many of us are wearing several hats: the working-at-home professional, the teacher, and the child entertainer.