Planting the Seeds for a Healthy Future Nutrition and Job Corps

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Planting the Seeds for a Healthy Future
Nutrition and Job Corps
Julie A. Luht, MPH, CHES
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Overview

• Nutrition in public schools
• Strides on Job Corps centers
• What you can do at your center

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Nutrition in SchoolsSchool Policies

• USDA sets nutrient standards for specific age
  groups
• Schools going beyond recommendations
• Appleton Area School District
• LUNCHPOWER!
• School visits

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On May 3rd, 2006 the Alliance for a Healthier
Generation announced an agreement with beverage
companies to sell only lower calorie and
nutritious beverages to schools. Will snack
machine changes soon follow?
http//www.healthiergeneration.org/
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The CHIPS Study

• Four levels of pricing, three levels of signage
• Promotion of low-fat snacks was associated with
  greater low-fat snack sales
• Customers bought more snacks when prices were
  reduced by 25 or 50.

French SA, et al. Pricing and promotion effects
on low-fat vending snack purchases The CHIPS
study. Amer Jour of Pub Health. 200191112117.
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Making it Happen
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) Making it Happen! School Nutrition Success
Stories

• http//www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/nutrition/Making-I
  t-Happen/

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What are Job Corps centers doing?
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Teamwork

• Collaboration between the HWM, wellness staff
  members, food service manager, culinary arts
  instructor, recreation manager, and
  administration
• Food Service Committees collaborate with Wellness
  Committees
• Staff members eat in the cafeteria and make
  healthy eating choices

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Community Resources

• Community resources for healthy programming
  include
• Weight management programs such as Weight
  Watchers and Curves
• Local school districts
• County, state, and national programs
• Communicate the desire to offer healthy menu
  items with suppliers
• Food service distribution companies
• Menu planning resources

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Explore Purchasing Options

• Use multiple vendors to encourage competition
• Local vendors, such as bakeries, supply fresh
  items
• Substitute whole, fresh items for expensive
  processed foods

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Education and Marketing

• Nutrition education
• Involve students in nutrition and menu planning
• Appeal to staff as well as students
• Use innovative marketing strategies
• Display nutrition information above food choices
  and at the entrance to the cafeteria
• Make foods look appealing

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Lunch at Delaware Valley JCC
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Portion Control

• Offer small portions of calorie dense food (e.g.,
  individual pats of butter).
• Use small scoops to reduce portions of salad
  dressings, soups, etc.
• Serve smaller portions of entrees when students
  come through the serving line.
• Controlling portions saves money!

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You can make changes.
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Which would you choose?
or
You are a role model- for worse or for better.
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Producing Change at Your Center

• Understand what you are looking for and why.
• Prepare with research.
• Believe in what you are saying.
• Give reasons for wanting a change. Back up your
  reasons with examples.
• Suggest ways of improving lunches and vending
  sales.
• Volunteer to be part of the change.

Adopted from Nutritional Resource Foundation,
Nutritional Fresh Whole Food Guidelines,
www.naturalovens.com