Weekly School Nutrition Newsletter

Indiana Department of Education sent this bulletin at 05/29/2018 11:49 AM EDT

5/29/2018

Dear Food Service Contact,

This email provides the most up-to-date news for schools about the Child Nutrition Programs from USDA and the state. If you are the food service contact for your school or corporation, it is your responsibility to relay important information provided to you about the Child Nutrition Programs to other staff members.

USDA's Eligibility Manual for School Meals

USDA will not be updating the Eligibility Manual for School Meals for school year 2018-2019.
Schools can continue to use the current manual posted on the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) website last revised July 2017.
This manual is a great resource when processing free and reduced applications, conducting verification, or determining disclosure requirements.
To access this manual, click here.

Reminder! Annual Notification of Summer Meals

Students are hungry during summer break too! Let them know where to go!
All schools participating in USDA School Nutrition Programs must meet the regulatory requirement of providing annual notification to all households regarding the availability of summer meals.
Whether a local school corporation participates in USDA summer meal programs through the Summer Food Service Program, Seamless Summer, regular school meals through the National School Lunch Program, or doesn’t participate in any formal summer meal service, the obligation to inform households where to find meals is required.
Annual notification can be through website announcement, email, flyer, or robocall, but all documentation showing this annual requirement is met must be retained with your school nutrition program records.
Everyone 18 and younger eats for free without providing any individual eligibility information at all open sites. On or after June 1, all Indiana sites approved to serve meals can be found:

On the SFSP parent page
By texting "Summer Meals" to 97779
Or texting “Food” or “Comida” to 877-877
By calling 211

Keep your students well-nourished during the summer months so that they are ready to learn again in the fall. If interested in participating in Summer Food Service Program, contact your field specialist or Tina Skinner at (317) 232-0858.

Update! Culinary Skills for A+ School Meals

Don't forget to sign up for the free five-day culinary skills workshop designed for school nutrition professionals (directors, managers, head cooks, staff).
In the kitchen you will learn more about.

Culinary basics, mise en place, and knife skills
Cooking vegetables for greater appeal
Preparing great grains
Building a better sandwich
Success with salads and salad bars

Additionally, you will learn more about:

Smarter Lunchroom techniques
Farm-to-school
Utilizing speed scratch
Enhancing flavor in foods
Food safety and sanitation with salads and salad bars

There are eight different dates for this workshop - you'll select your date and location during registration.
NEW this year - American Dairy Association Indiana will give a $250 small equipment grant to one participant in each of the culinary classes this summer. To find out more about this grant opportunity, click here.
Space is limited to 32 participants for each location - act fast space is filling up at all locations!
Registration link: http://www.cvent.com/d/fgqk7d/4W
Summary page link: http://www.cvent.com/d/fgqk7d
For more information, email Cathy Powers or call 330-416-5943.

New Webinar! Delivering A+ School Meals with the Help of Culinary Skills Training

Learn the essential culinary skills needed to deliver flavorful, healthful and appealing school meals and small equipment basics that will enhance your foodservice operation.
The webinar will also take a look at 10 easy, high-impact changes that will freshen your menus.
Click here to register for the Coffee Break Webinar on Wednesday, May 30 at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Quarterly Edition - Indiana Nutrition Newsletter

The Spring 2018 edition of the Indiana Nutrition Newsletter has been posted here.
The newest edition includes:

Batesville's school garden
2017 Turnip the Beet Summer Meals Award Program winners
Every Kid Healthy Week at Southeast Neighborhood School of Excellence

To feature your school or special event in the next newsletter, contact Suzette Hartmann at shartman@doe.in.gov.

School Year 2019 Farm to School Activities

Sign up for the Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch

Join the Great Lakes states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio in celebrating National Farm to School Month by crunching into locally and regionally grown apples at 12 p.m. on Thursday, October 11.
The Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch encourages healthy eating and supports farm to school and other local food purchasing initiatives throughout the region. It’s also a fun way to connect food and agriculture.
Participants of all ages are invited to crunch!
Last October 1,543,781 students, children, teachers, and food supporters across the region crunched. Let’s join forces and meet the ONE MILLION CRUNCH goal again this year!
Register now: https://www.cias.wisc.edu/applecrunch/
Indiana Apple Crunch Success Stories.

Rah, Rah, Radishes!

The 2018 Indiana Food Day item has been chosen. This year, the highlighted item is radishes.
Indiana Farm to School Network is celebrating it's fifth year of Food Day! Because of this, the Food Day focus will be on five radish varieties: Black, Cherry Belle, Easter Egg, German Giant, and Watermelon.

Previous Food Day vegetables have been kale, turnips, squash, and Brussels sprouts.

Give radishes a chance! Thinly sliced or finely grated, a small dose of this spicy little vegetable adds big zip to salads and tacos.
Be rad and celebrate Food Day 2018! Food Day can be celebrated any day in October.
Find everything you need to create a great Food Day event here.
The most important ingredient in Food Day is you! Join the movement!
Questions? Email Sarah Kenworthy or call 317-232-0857.

Missed a Weekly School Nutrition Newsletter? Click here to access previous newsletters!

Please do not reply directly to this email. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this email, please contact Allie Caito-Sipe at acaito@doe.in.gov, call (317) 232-0849 or toll-free at 1-800-537-1142 ext. 20849. Or, contact Sarah Kenworthy at skenworthy@doe.in.gov, call (317) 232-0857 or toll-free at 1-800-537-1142 ext. 20857.

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