Free Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program: An Exciting and Effective Environmental Policy for Schools

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Free Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program An
Exciting and Effective Environmental Policy for
Schools

• Barbara Torres Berry, MS, RD
• Vice President, Programs
• Produce for Better Health Foundation
• 3rd National Prevention Summit
• Innovations in Community Prevention
• Washington, DC
• October 25, 2005

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Where we started Where we are going

• Background F/V stats
• In the beginning 2002 Farm Bill
• Pilot implementation/Results
• Child Nutrition Reauthorization
• Current status
• Advocacy/grassroots efforts
• The Future

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Eating F/V Can Help Prevent Cancer, Heart
Disease, High Blood Pressure, and Other Diseases

• 1/3 of 19 to 24 month old toddlers are not eating
  a single fruit in a day and 1/5 are not eating
  any vegetables
• French fries are the most commonly consumed
  vegetable among toddlers 15 months
• Fewer than 15 of elementary school-aged children
  eat the five or more servings of fruit and
  vegetables daily

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New Fruit Vegetable Guidelines
From Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005
based on sedentary activity level.
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New Fruit Vegetable Guidelines
From Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005
based on moderate activity level. From PBH
State of Plate 2005.
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USDA F/V Program for Schools

• Timeline
• Farm Bill passed June 2002
• 25 schools each in 4 states IA, IN, MI, OH 6
  schools in the Zuni ITO in New Mexico
• 6 million dollars
• Up to discretion of each school to decide
  how/when/what f/v to serve
• Schools implement programs Oct/Nov 02
• Site evaluations by ERS Dec/Jan
  03
• Conference in Indianapolis March 03

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USDA F/V Program for Schools

• Omnibus Bill Dec 2003
• Mississippi and Iowa - 1 mm each
• Program expanded as part of CNR June 2004
• 8 states IA, IN, MI, OH, MS, NC, PA, WA and 3
  ITOs
• Over 115,000 students in over 200 schools
• 9 million (mandatory funds) every year

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USDA F/V Program for Schools
Ridge Junior High, Ohio

• Delivery Methods
• Classroom Delivery
• Kiosks/Centralized Locations
• Vending

King Elementary, Iowa
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USDA F/V Program for Schools
Lakeview High School, Michigan
Allen Park Middle School, Michigan
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USDA F/V Program for Schools
King Elementary School, Iowa
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Kiosks Very Successful!

• Refilled with f/v daily
• Located in a central area
• Used in middle/high schools
• Resulted in additional servings of f/v

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MS Launch
Oxford Elementary School, Mississippi
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Oxford Elementary School, Mississippi
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ERS Findings

• Students
• Ate more fruits vegetables
• Ate less high-calorie, high-fat vending options
• Had better attention spans
• Felt less hungry throughout the day
• Felt better and visited nurse less often
• Had fewer discipline problems
• Had increased participation in school lunch

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Fruits Vegetables Served

• Popular fruits strawberries, apples, pineapple
  pushups
• Popular veggies carrots w/ dip, celery w/ peanut
  butter

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ERS Findings

• Principals, teachers, parents loved it
• No real negative comments
• Team building
• Breaking down barriers
• Positive interactions
• Nutrition education

http//www.ers.usda.gov/publications/efan03006/
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Lessons Learned

• Kids will eat f/v if made available
• Fruit is better received than vegetables, esp. in
  morning
• Need to offer f/v to kids repeatedly peer
  pressure and modeling by adults works
• Teacher, administration and FS staff interest
  increased as program implemented and positive
  feedback received
• 10 administrative budget (for labor and
  equipment) is not enough

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USDA F/V Program for Schools

• Key Factors Contributing to Success
• Flexibility of program by USDA
• Support of community teachers, principals, FS
  staff, parents, teachers, children
• Investment and perseverance of the food service
  coordinators and staff
• Administrative support (principals)
• Role modeling

I dont want to be at my school the first of
week of school next year if we dont have free
fruits vegetables to offer. person attending
Indianapolis conference
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Where Are We Today?

• Senate bill language to expand USDA f/v program
  to Utah and Wisconsin for 2 million for one year
• House bill no expansion language included
• Next steps House and Senate need to convene and
  reconcile differences
• Itll be a tight budget year

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Advocacy

• PBH, United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Assn, NANA
  and others continued to educate Members of
  Congress on program
• PBH and United developed materials and web-based
  resources
• United activated web-based grassroots site/action
  alerts
• Letter writing hill visits calls e-mails
• Congressional briefs

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USDA Farm Bill

• Farm Bill Listening Sessions
• Boston, MA - October 28
• Austin, TX - November 1
• Atlanta, GA - November 2

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Produce for Better Health Foundations National
Action Plan website www.pbhfoundation.org/actionp
lan
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The Future

• ACT NOW to educate your key state leaders on the
  importance of national and state policies to
  promote fruit and vegetable intake
• Serve on key committees to influence policy and
  state/local policy/program efforts
• When asked to contact key MOC, please do so
  individually or as nutrition professionals
• Dont wait to be asked education of key
  officials about the importance of f/v is ongoing
  and always needed!

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Resources

• PBH www.5aday.org
• PBH National Action Plan website
  www.pbhfoundation.org/actionplan
• CDC www.cdc.gov/5aday
• United www.uffva.org

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Summit Country School
Ohio