Here in Merced City School District we have had the opportunity to work with local chefs. A small mini-grant provided the funds we needed to conduct a project that taught fifth grade students the skills to prepare healthy recipes and taught them the benefits of eating healthy. This project was piloted at Ada Givens Elementary School beginning in the Spring of 2009. The success of the program has allowed it to be conducted for three years.

Julie Acker was the energy behind the project. She is the School Cafeteria Manager and she has a passion for sharing her love of healthy cooking. Along with a local chef, Julie conducted a series of cooking classes with her fifth grade students. The recipes prepared included; Orange Banana Smoothies, Tropical Fruit Salad, Veggie Wrap, Strawberry Yogurt Parfait, and many more.

All of the recipes featured fresh veggies and fruits and/or low-fat dairy products. Julie chose these recipes because she knew that her students did not eat enough of these foods.
The cooking classes allowed students to learn knife skills, basic measurements, table setting and reading recipes. In addition, students learned the benefits of eating fresh produce and consuming adequate amounts of low-fat dairy products. Students were expected to take the information they had larned and share the recipes and knowledge with their school community.

After attending the cooking classes, fifth grade students prepared the recipes, developed flyers promoting the health benefits of the recipe and conducted a “taste testing activity” for the K-4th grade students at Ada Givens School. The response from K-4th students was overwhelmingly positive. The students loved the new recipes and enjoyed learning from their fellow students. The project has been so successful that some of the recipes are being adapted and tested for use in the School Meals Program.

Plans are in place to replicate this project at the Chenoweth site for the 2011-2012 school year. I hope to expand the project to include 1-2 more elementary sites in the coming year.

Terri Soares, Registered Dietitian
School Food Service Director
Merced Unified School District

Today is Food Day. At Dairy Council of California we love the idea of celebrating food, but like most of the health professionals, farmers and health advocates we work with, we think about and celebrate food 365 days year, so every day is Food Day! We join forces each day to educate and empower individuals to make the best food choices for optimal health.

The nutrition education programs we create and share with students and adults encourage each individual to make the best food choices for their circumstance. These decisions are often based on taste, cost, convenience, nutrition, cultural and family traditions, and personal values. We respect those values, circumstances and individual decisions and know that the best food choices for one family may not be right for another.

We think the best way to recognize Food Day is to thank the many partners, customers and industry funders who make our work to reach millions of Californians each year with this open and positive approach to nutrition education a reality.

Thank you to the dairy farmers and milk processors who have funded efforts since 1919 to build healthier communities and create healthier, successful students.

Thank you to the 80,000 educators who teach and share our nutrition curriculum in schools. Each year, they carve time from their busy classroom schedules to make nutrition a priority and teach lessons about making healthy food choices.

Thank you to those registered dietitians and other health professionals who follow an open and positive approach to food and believe that all foods can be a part of a healthful diet when managing for variety, moderation and proportionality.

And thank you to those who provide healthy, delicious, and affordable food produced in a sustainable and humane way.

Read a Farmer’s Words on Food Day:
The Wife of a Dairyman

Happy Food Day!

LeAnne R. Ruzzamenti
Director of Marketing Communications

Congratulations to Ranchito Avenue Elementary in Los Angeles, Fay Elementary School in San Diego, and Pioneer Middle School in Tustin, Calif.!  Each school is a recipient of funds awarded by Dairy Council of California for their Fuel Up to Play 60 initiatives. 

Fuel Up to Play 60 is a free school wellness program used in more than 70,000 schools nationwide.  Dairy Council is facilitating the program in California. 

We are thrilled to be involved not only because we are building awareness of and access to nutrient-rich foods on school campuses during breakfast and lunch, but we are also providing funds that support nutrition and fitness programs, as many of these programs are being cut due to California’s tight education budget. 

Total funding awarded to the three schools is $8,200.  The funds will be used for a variety of wellness activities that promote good nutrition and physical activity.  By supporting efforts like this, we hope to help create healthy habits that last a lifetime.

Applications for funds for the 2011-2012 school year are now being accepted from California schools that enroll in Fuel Up to Play 60.  Schools can learn more about eligibility requirements and find the Funds for Fuel Up to Play 60 application at http://www.fueluptoplay60.com/.  There are several application windows each year, so make sure to get your local school involved.

Launched by National Dairy Council, local Dairy Councils and the National Football League (NFL), in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Fuel Up to Play 60 program encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. The program is now in its third year.

Eat Better, Eat Together is a blog series by registered dietitians, educators and parents whose stories and advice help families start or strengthen a commitment to balanced family meals. Take the Eat Better, Eat Together Family Meal Pledge at Facebook.com/DairyCouncilofCalifornia.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing the California State PTA President-elect Colleen You, mother of two and long- time PTA volunteer. Since the mission of the California State PTA is to positively impact the lives of all children and families, I was curious to learn Colleen’s perspective about family meals. I was pleased to learn that Colleen strongly believes that eating more family meals together has a broad range of benefits for children and their families.

Research has shown that families who eat together tend to eat better, with higher intakes of fruits, vegetables and key nutrients like calcium, fiber and iron. Perhaps lesser known are the benefits that family meals can have on students’ academic achievement. Well-nourished children tend to perform better in school with fewer tardies or absences.

Colleen defines a family meal as an “uninterrupted, dedicated time for household members to gather and eat an enjoyable and healthy meal.” The focus should be on each other with an absence of technology. According to Colleen, the benefits of family meals go way beyond what is eaten.Many activities related to preparing a meal for the family offer excellent opportunities for parents to interact with children. She offered the following specific examples.

• Planning menus for the week gets kids thinking and planning into the future – which is a higher level thinking skill.
• Creating the shopping list and then shopping together allows the parent the opportunity to teach simple math skills and how to shop for value in the grocery store.
• Setting the table gets children thinking about the mechanics of eating a meal; how many forks do I need so everyone has a fork? Do we need spoons with this meal?

Family mealtime can be used as an educational experience both at home and in the classroom. In particular, Colleen remembers helping at school during a lesson where children learning English were taught how to set the table. The lesson included not only vocabulary but also shapes and patterns in the table setup. Additionally, family meals that include foods from all the food groups can reinforce healthy eating concepts taught in the classroom, especially if educators utilize the nutrition education curriculum available from the Dairy Council of California.

The other key benefit of family meals is the “therapeutic benefit,” Colleen said. “The research is clear—teens who have more family meals exhibit less risky behavior such as smoking and drug use.” Even though schedules get very hectic as kids get older, planning to have family meals whenever possible tells  teens they are an important part of the family. And the dialogue at the meal helps kids stay connected with their parents and offers a chance to communicate what the family values.

Colleen acknowledges that family schedules can become very busy; however there are many resources available to help plan simple meals. She suggests using creative planning in order to change an ordinary event into something special; such as planning a picnic to eat together before or after a child’s sporting event. Inviting other families to picnic with you can transform a family event into a community event that can create deeper friendships and lasting memories for families.

Subscribe to the Dairy Council of California blog,  follow @Dairy_Council and #EatBetter2Gether on Twitter for more tips and the latest on healthy family meals.

Maureen Bligh, RD

Project Manager 

Eat Better, Eat Together is a blog series by registered dietitians, educators and parents whose stories and advice help families start or strengthen a commitment to balanced family meals. Take the Eat Better, Eat Together Family Meal Pledge at Facebook.com/DairyCouncilofCalifornia.

When was the last time you sat down for a meal with your family? Was it last night, last week or last month? For some families, eating together is reserved for special events and holidays, like birthdays or Thanksgiving. These special occasion meals allow families to connect with each other, strengthen family ties and pass on family cultural traditions.

But family meals don’t have to be reserved for special occasions. Family meals can happen any time of day, any day of the week!  If the words “I’m too busy” pop into your mind, you’re not alone. You probably even hear this from the parents you know or work with. Like so many people, my days revolve around juggling work demands and parent responsibilities. But I’ve learned that family meals can fit into even the busiest of schedules. By planning ahead and getting the whole family involved, you reap a host of benefits:

Children who eat with their families are better nourished, have lower rates of obesity and higher vocabularies. These factors can have a positive impact on classroom behavior and academic performance. And when it comes to improving the health of our children, family meals are a great way to instill healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime. As a Registered Dietitian and mom to an almost-2-year-old, these benefits are truly important to me. That is why I’ve made balanced family meals with foods from all of the food groups a priority in my home.

This fall, Dairy Council of California is helping families start or strengthen a commitment to family meals with the Eat Better, Eat Together Family Meal Pledge! Visit Facebook.com/DairyCouncilofCalifornia to take the pledge and sign up for recipes, meal suggestions and tips on how to balance meals with foods from all five food groups. Check back here for our Eat Better, Eat Together blog series with family meal tips, resources and stories from Dairy Council of California Registered Dietitians and guests. Be sure to follow @Dairy_Council on Twitter and look for the #EatBetter2Gether hashtag.

Ashley Rosales, R.D.

Project Manager 

Workplace wellness has been a high priority for many organizations looking to improve the health and wellbeing of employees while also curbing the impact in the rising costs of healthcare. There are many ways to promote wellness in the workplace, but one of the most popular are employee wellness health fairs. I am often invited to attend such events and I always find that I leave them with a better understanding of the issues many working adults face in their efforts  to make healthy choices. I also find satisfaction in sharing information and resources to make the process of healthy eating easier.

Here are my "takeaways" from my recent event at the Sacramento County Child Support Services employee wellness fair:

• Most people want to make meals at home to avoid the pitfalls of last minute take out options. But after a long work day, driving children to and from after school events and running last minute errands, most people find it almost impossible. That's why I was excited to share our meal planning website Meals Matter, which has all the tools needed to make planning meals and eating at home simple. Many of the people I spoke with said that they could eat healthier if they learned how to plan their meals, stock their pantry with key staples, and prepare simple healthy recipes. A woman that I met from last years event recognized our resources and even shouted out to her colleagues, "You have got to try this website...I love it!"
• Many employees are parents, and although they are concerned about their own health, they also want more information on how to make sure their children grow up healthy. I love reminding them of my 2 top priority tips for parents 1) being a healthy role model is one of the best ways to ensure your children learn how to make choices that lead to lifelong health. 2) Eating meals together as a family is an easy way to ensure everyone gets the nutrients they need, especially when you serve foods from all five food groups. I gave many parents in attendance our booklets Making Meals Matter for Your Young and Making Meals Matter for Your School Age Child, which contain wonderful information on how to be a healthy role model and plan nutritious meals and snacks.
• Nutrition misinformation in everywhere, and many of the people I spoke with were confused on how to eat healthfully. They can't keep up with what foods are considered "good" and what foods are "bad". One of the favorite aspects of my job is showing people that healthy eating is not complicated and doesn't involve diets, fads or restriction. Eating healthy can be as simple as 1) consuming a variety of nutrient-rich foods from all of the food groups 2) balancing our intake of food with physical activity and 3) enjoying foods that are low in nutritional value in moderation. Our booklet Activity and Eating is a great way to learn how to incorporate these concepts into your everyday life.

Promoting health in the workplace is a wonderful way to help improve the eating and physical activity habits of adults. There are many ways that you can bring wellness into your work environment. Our free wellness toolkit makes starting a wellness program easy. And if your place of employment is planning a employee wellness health fair, you can count on us to give you the resources and information needed to make healthy eating easier.

Ashley Rosales, R.D.
Project Manager

On a recent trip to the Midwest, I took the opportunity to visit Fair Oaks Farms in Fair Oaks, Indiana.  I had heard a lot about this place, specifically as a model for showcasing sustainable farming and agriculture’s role in providing for our food supply to the public.  I had no idea what was in store for me.

Fair Oaks is much more than a model, it is an educational farming amusement park.  This family-owned farm, which has 30,000 dairy cows located on 10 separate sites, conducts farm tours for school groups and families with three main goals in mind.  Show first-hand how dairy farming:

• Protects the environment;
• Cares for the dairy cows; and
• Provides high-quality products that are nutritious and good for you.

These messages came out loud and clear.  Between the bus tour that takes visitors to the free-stall barns housing nearly 3,000 dairy cows where we watched the milking process unfold, the lessons on how the farm uses manure to create renewable energy and the Birthing Barn where we actually witnessed the birth of a live calf (that was suspenseful!), Fair Oaks Farms takes great care to bring visitors into the working farm experience. 

Children were thoroughly amused at Mooville, a play area set aside on the farm that housed a 25-foot milk carton climbing wall (playfully called Udder Heights).  The Moo Choos, tractor rides, String Cheese Maze and the Dairy Air jumping pillow also entertained kids.

The Dairy Adventure educational hall displays interactive exhibits demonstrating life on the farm, how to milk a cow as well as the many nutritional benefits of milk and milk products – the osteoporosis climbing wall was a clever play on building strong bones.

The day rounded out with a visit to the cheese factory and gift shop where I watched cheese being processed and of course grabbed a few varieties of delicious cheeses to share with my family back home.

Fair Oaks is tailor-made for individuals who have never been on a working farm and quite frankly, have no idea how the food we eat gets from the farm to the dinner table.  I left feeling a strong connection to agriculture and an ever greater enthusiasm for milk and milk products.  If you are ever traveling through Indiana, Fair Oaks Farms is a must see!

Please share your experiences on the farm.

Jessica Northrup

It occurred to me today while talking to a school administrator that there are an overwhelming number of students who tell me they have never seen a cow.  I find that amazing, especially since you  are able to see thousands of dairy cows while driving down Highway 99. Do that many children never take a drive along the highway? It is clear to me when I open the door of the Mobile Dairy Classroom trailer and the children see a 1,200 lb animal, that seeing a dairy cow up close is a unique and exciting experience for them.

At the conclusion of an assembly, the students are able to get a closer look at the cow, as well as a calf.  I always ask them as they walk by to describe some of the senses they pick up from the animals.  Mainly, how does it feel and what does it smells like.  The varieties of answers students say are priceless; anything from she feels like a porcupine, to they smell like milk!

I was born and raised in the central San Joaquin valley, where agriculture is everywhere.  Driving past the acres of grape vineyards, almond orchards and fields with sheep grazing was something I did every day.  I am now beginning to realize that my experience was unique and quite special. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to provide an experience for school children to learn about agriculture and to have an up close experience with a dairy cow and calf.

Kimberlee Youman
Mobile Dairy Classroom Instructor

I am proud to report that the Dairy Council of California has an award winning employee wellness program. The program is spearheaded by our wellness committee and each of our four offices has a wellness committee team leader. This team leader acts as our local cheerleader to promote the wellness activities. The committee generates a monthly newsletter that includes health suggestions, a healthy recipe and a move of the month, which I try to do a few times during the week to move more and sit less while working. Our office recently purchased a new exercise ball and some yoga bands and I used the ball and the bands while I was listening to a webinar. I really appreciate all of the support and encouragement that we get from our wellness team.

The most fun thing we have done recently is the Iron Chef Challenge. The challenge was to prepare a recipe that included yogurt as the 'secret ingredient' and bring in a sample for the office to try. We voted anonymously on which dish was the best and the winner received a gift basket.

We have a small office and it is hard to coordinate a date when everyone is available. In the end, we had four recipes entered and another staff member from the Sacramento office was visiting, so we had a total of four recipes and five testers.

Here is a picture of the entries

and here are the recipes:

Yummy Veggie Dip

Baklava Cake

Yogurt Lemon Dressing

Yogurt Parfait

I am proud to announce that my recipe, Yogurt Lemon Dressing, was the winner! I put the dressing on chopped cabbage for a light and tart coleslaw dressing. It was delicious. Here is a picture of my prize. 

Workplace wellness benefits both the organization and it's employees by promoting heath and well-being within the work environment. Plus it can also be fun! Check our new workplace wellness resources on this website for information and resources on how to implement an employee wellness program at your place of business.

Maureen Bligh, M.A., R.D.

Project Manager

In March, after months of watching the school garden grow and pulling its weeds, the first graders at Carl H Sundahl Elementary in Folsom got to enjoy the fruits (or should I say vegetables) of their labor. Each first grade student pulled a vegetable from the school garden, and once washed and ready to serve, each piece completed the final masterpiece, a Friendship Salad. The colorful Friendship Salad was shared with both first grade classrooms.

They began this journey in the fall, planting a cornucopia of produce: celery, peas, rainbow chard, rainbow carrots, radishes, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and three varieties of lettuce and onions. Though some of their crop was lost to frost or not quite ready, they pulled from their bounty and even wanted seconds of salad! Kids even asked if they could take some home to share with parents.

Behind these activities is a standout volunteer. Monica Easton, parent of one of those first graders, strives to overcome the barriers that prevent school gardens from thriving. Built 10 years ago with a grant, the school garden has been abandoned for the last 5 years. Though it needs work, Monica has led activities around the garden. To top it off, she also agreed to teach her child’s first grade class about nutrition in conjunction with the garden, using Dairy Council’s Healthy Choices, Healthy Me! curriculum.

In April, they plan an End of Harvest Salad activity for all students who want to join after school. The summer garden will be growing and by next fall, students will experiment with fresh salsa! As mentioned in our earlier post, gardens are a great way to build skills that support classroom learning and beyond! We congratulate Monica, and others like her, for your efforts to bring nutrition into the school day.

For more on the connection between Gardens and learning, visit California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom.

Tracy Witmer, R.D.

Territory Manager