upLIFT Newsletter | SY 2022-2023 | Issue 3 | November 2022 |
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The Arizona Department of Education Health and Nutrition Services (HNS) is excited to continue the "Serve a Rainbow" initiative for this school year! This initiative aims to urge operators to promote a colorful spread of unique and delicious fruits and vegetables for students to enjoy throughout the school year. Every other month starting in September, HNS/upLIFT will announce a new "Serve a Rainbow" produce color for your team to feature and serve in your schools. Service can be as simple as a vegetable plated on a tray, or fruits and vegetables intricately presented to students in a colorful display or salad bar! The creativity is up to you!
This month, HNS received photos from Humboldt Unified School District. Humboldt served the featured color several times last month including using their produce in beautiful artistic creations as part of their garden bars! The team consistently utilizes produce from the Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Produce Program to brighten up their garden bars, and they are always a huge hit! This past month they served halved kiwi, bell peppers, broccoli, and more! We are so excited to see schools having fun with the Serve a Rainbow Initiative and can't wait to see more photos of your produce this coming month! |
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The featured color for November and December is... |
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We challenge you to implement what you learn from the monthly webinars and resources to help you serve a unique variety of produce, rich in color over the course of this school year. Now is the time to show off your grapes, purple cabbage, eggplant, blackberries, plums, and more! Email Ashley.Kennedy@azed.gov any pictures of your colorful service lines so we can showcase your beautiful produce in future upLIFT newsletters! HNS can't wait to see how YOU "serve a rainbow" to your students! |
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Join us for our upcoming upLIFT Webinar!
upLIFT Webinar Series: Setting up the Sodium Standards for School Menus
November 15, 2022 at 1:30 pm
Join us for this month's upLIFT webinar where we will chew over all things sodium in school meals! We will discuss the science behind sodium, identifying common foods and dishes higher in sodium, suggest strategies for procuring and preparing reduced-sodium meals, and review how the current transitional standards for sodium in school meals measure up to the goals of the dietary guidelines. |
Queen Creek Unified School District tests out some in-season veggies!
Students at Queen Creek Unified School District were able to test some zucchini and yellow squash! These yummy nutritious treats are also called "summer squash" and are a versatile item for use in your menus. We are excited that students were able to test something new while also trying a green vegetable that was the featured "Serve a Rainbow" color! Keep them coming!
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Research Rundown
This month's Research Rundown article examined the association between the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA), and dietary quality of lunch among students participating in the National School Lunch Program. The overall consumption of fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein was assessed among students to analyze the differences before and after HHFKA policy implementation. The information in this study can be used to inform you and your team of the importance of your meals for the overall health of your students! |
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Featured Food - Purple Cabbage!
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Together, we can influence positive
dietary behaviors in students! |
This institution is an equal opportunity provider. |
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