Health & Wellness Newsletter – Celebrating National Nutrition Month!
March 28, 2023
Welcome to this edition of CAN’s Health & Wellness newsletter! March is National Nutrition Month! National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and 2023 is the 50th year of celebration! During the month of March, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits.
This year’s theme, “Fuel for the Future,” highlights the importance of fueling our bodies at every age and eating with the environment in mind. Practice gratitude for your body by giving it the fuel it needs with sustainable foods!
Explore these additional resources on how you can celebrate National Nutrition Month!
In This Newsletter:
Coming Soon: Racial Equity Learning Lab
The National Farm to School Network (NFSN) is excited to announce a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to convene the Racial Equity Learning Lab (the “Lab”).
The purpose of the Lab is to advance racial equity within the farm to school movement, mobilizing partners in the movement towards a deeper understanding of how to apply racial equity in our collective work and providing the necessary tools and resources to do so.
Cohort recruitment and applications will open in Summer 2023.
Sign up for NFSN’s email list to stay up-to-date with information about the lab!
California PBIS Emotional and Behavioral Screening Research Opportunity
California PBIS has a research participation opportunity for California school staff! Sponsored by the School of Education at the University of California, Riverside, Dr. Stephanie Moore is investigating emotional and behavioral screening use in schools. The study will look at factors that impact decisions to use and implement emotional and behavioral health screening and what helps schools or districts successfully complete this screening.
Getting CACFP Programs Ready for Summer Food Service
Webinar Recording
Earlier this month, we partnered with CACFP Roundtable, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, and Food Research and Action Center for a discussion and panel on how to get CACFP programs ready for the Summer!
You can watch the webinar recording and download any other resources here.
School Meals Design Guide
This new online guide from No Kid Hungry features ready-to-use activities and tools to help make school meal programs more student-centered. Within it are assets like a survey question library, QR code generator, customizable logos and more to help you engage students and caregivers.
No Kid Hungry hosted a webinar on March 14th to introduce the School Meals Design Guide and highlight how the guide can be used. Watch the webinar recording here!
USDA Seeks Comment on Proposed Changes to School Meal Standards
Comments open until April 10, 2023
The USDA recently proposed an update the school nutrition standards as required by law. For details, see the USDA’s resource page, which includes a comparison chart of current vs. proposed standards. The new standards will begin taking effect in SY24-25 and phase in over several years once they are finalized.
This proposal primarily applies to schools operating the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, but some provisions apply to the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).
The proposal is open for public comment until April 10, 2023. You can read the full proposal and submit a comment online at Regulations.gov. If you’re new to commenting on proposed regulations, NoKidHungry has a resource with background and tips to help.
Celebrate National Nutrition Month with MyPlate!
This year for National Nutrition Month, MyPlate’s theme is “Find the Recipe to a Healthier You,” which is an ode to healthy eating at every age. It’s never too early, or too late to eat healthfully!
Resources for Stigma Reduction
CDC has created and compiled a list of resources to help with stigma reduction of substance abuse disorders. Addiction can happen to anyone and it is important for people to have the resources and support they need.
CACFP Week Resources
March 12-18, 2023
CACFP Week was March 12-18! This week was designed to raise awareness of how the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program works to combat hunger. The CACFP provides over 1.8 billion meals and snacks to over 4.5 million children daily in child care centers and family day care homes.
Tips for People Who Take Medication: Coping With Hot Weather
SAMHSA has created a fact sheet that explores climate change, hot weather, and impacts of heat on people who use medication to manage mental health and other health conditions. It offers steps for individuals and communities to enhance safety and build resilience.
Check Out CAN’s Other Newsletters!
Access the CAN newsletter archives to view past newsletters today! You may be interested in some of our other newsletters as well: