Reminder: Office Closed 

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) will be closed on Monday, January 15, 2024, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Webinar

MDE Nutrition Program Services (NPS) Director, Emily Honer, and School Business Supervisor, Melissa Elder, will host a webinar on Wednesday, January 17, from 2 to 3 p.m. The topic is the school year 2023–24 (SY23–24) DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and the 2023 Fall Store ordering. Emily and Melissa will answer questions received from schools on this topic. The webinar will be recorded.

Register for the January 17 webinar.

Say Yes! to School Meal Marketing Materials Now Available

New marketing materials are available to assist school staff in promoting their school nutrition programs. The materials are available in English, Spanish, Hmong and Somali.

Say Yes! to School Meals Photo Contest

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is excited to announce the Say Yes! to Schools Photo Contest. The contest is intended to celebrate and showcase the delicious and unique meals that Minnesota schools are serving. Each School Food Authority may submit one breakfast photo and one lunch photo. The contest period runs January 11–February 12, 2024. All entries must be received no later than 5 p.m. on February 12. View the contest details on the Team Nutrition webpage.

Harvard Nationwide CACFP Survey

The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health wants to hear from Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) sponsors and providers about how to make CACFP work better for child care programs and families. Participate in the CACFP survey for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card. The goals include collecting your recommendations for policymakers on CACFP based on your experiences.

For more information, call or text (617) 383-4697, or email enriches_meal@hsph.harvard.edu.