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Healthier School Meals


Minneapolis School Embraces Family-Style Dining

December 20, 2016 Dr. Katie Wilson, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services

How do you create a better lunch experience for students? It all started with a conversation between Ginger Davis Kranz, Principal of Webster Elementary School, and the Minneapolis Public Schools’ Director of Food Service, Bertrand Weber. In September 2016, I was fortunate enough to visit Webster...

Food and Nutrition

From Small Potatoes to 36,000 Pounds of Carrots: Farm to School Grows

January 27, 2014 Alan Shannon, USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Midwest Region

In the past few years I’ve seen an increasing number of news stories about successful farm to school programs. As reflected in the first USDA Farm to School Census, farm to school programs are thriving from Alaska to Florida and in every state between. I attended a recent event that demonstrates...

Food and Nutrition Farming

USDA Makes Meat and Grain Serving Flexibilities Permanent

January 03, 2014 Dr. Janey Thornton, Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services

As a mother and a grandmother, and as a school nutrition professional who has served at the local, state and national levels, I know the unique challenges and rewards that come along with helping to raise children—particularly when it comes to good nutrition. Feeding kids, and feeding them well, can...

Food and Nutrition

When Schools Improve Meals, Positive Results Follow

September 30, 2013 Dr. Janey Thornton, Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services

The last few years have seen significant improvements to the health of the school environment. Schools across the country are increasing their efforts to prevent childhood obesity by serving healthier school meals providing more time for physical activity, and helping kids learn about proper...

Food and Nutrition

Learning from Promising Models and Leaders in the North Star State

April 19, 2013 Kevin Concannon, Under Secretary, USDA Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services

In my position as Under Secretary, I occasionally travel the country to meet with, and learn from, some of the many partners who administer and leverage the USDA’s 15 nutrition assistance programs. These programs—from school meals to SNAP (formerly food stamps)—currently touch the lives of one in...

Food and Nutrition
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