Kid smiles as he eats apple, othe kid stares at him.

External Resources

Below are external online resources related to the mission of the Center for Nutrition in Schools.

Dietary Guidelines

The Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee was issued in February 2015 and is available at the link below. This document served as an advisory report to the Secretaries of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for use as they developed the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015, which was released jointly by HHS and USDA in 2016.

My Plate

MyPlate helps translate current nutrition guidelines into recommended food and meal choices for individuals.

Team Nutrition 

In order to participate in the HealthierUS School Challenge: Smarter Lunchrooms, your school must first become a Team Nutrition School. Team Nutrition schools gain access to resources that assist Child Nutrition Services professionals in providing healthier meals for their students.

Wellness Policies

The Local School Wellness Policy requirement, mandated by the United States Department of Agriculture through the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, and further strengthened by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, requires the development and implementation of a school wellness policy to establish a school environment that promotes students’ health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity.

Smarter Snacks

In California, federal requirements for foods sold on school campuses must be integrated with state requirements. The California Department of Education provides resources and information to assist in understanding these requirements.

The Healthy Meals Resource System

The Healthy Meals Resource System is an excellent resource for Child Nutrition Program professionals. This resource is a gateway to additional information on the HealthierUS School Challenge: Smarter Lunchrooms, Wellness Policies, Professional Standards, and many other topics.

Meal Talk

Meal Talk is a forum where professionals involved in School Nutrition Programs can communicate and share resources.

California Farmer Marketplace

The California Farmer Marketplace is a free statewide website developed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, featuring California produce, grains, meats, and other products for sale. The Marketplace offers farmers the opportunity to post products and connect directly with school food service to increase the amount of California grown and produced foods on school lunch trays.

Food Safety Resources

Food safety is a critical priority for staff and are preparing and serving school meals. The following are online resources for food safety materials and information.

Cal-Pro-NET

Curriculum

Garden Enhanced Learning

Training

Research

Other School Nutrition Related Resources

USDA Professional Standards

The new USDA continuing education requirements for child nutrition program personnel are organized into four Key Areas, listed below.  By selecting each specific topic within these Key Areas, a list of resources is provided for each of these topics. All of the links below can be accessed through the USDA Professional Standards website. This list is not all encompassing of the resources available there.

Federal Register, Section 7 CFR Parts 210 and 235

This page is an easy-to-search, web-based version of the Professional Standards Final Rule on the Federal Register website. This page also provides options for downloading and printing the Final Rule. 

USDA Professional Standards for All School Nutrition Program Employees

This is a Professional Standards summary flyer created by the USDA, which includes hiring standards for both Local and State Directors, as well as training standards for all employees. 

Professional Standards Learning Objectives

The Professional Standards Learning Objectives are a resource for school nutrition employees and trainers. It lists training topics in the four Key Areas of Nutrition, Operations, Administration and Communications/Marketing. Each Key Area has several Key Topics and specific training subjects with objectives that will assist those who are planning or tracking training.

USDA Professional Standards Brochure

USDA Food and Nutrition Service Resources

CDE Management Bulletin

School Nutrition Association Resources

California Department of Education Resources

Training and Education Needs Assessment

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Action for Healthy Kids