Afterschool.gov

Afterschool.gov offers suggestions on how to finance, operate and sustain an afterschool program; activities for children and youth; Web sites and reports regarding afterschool; and other related topics and information affecting afterschool programs.  Afterschool program standards and state afterschool profiles can be downloaded from this Web site.

Afterschool Resource Center

The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) maintains an Afterschool Resource Center with information on funding, reimbursements and model programs.

Child and Adult Care Food Program

Community-based programs that offer enrichment activities for at-risk children and teenagers, after the regular school day ends, can provide free snacks through the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Programs must be offered in areas where at least fifty percent of the children are eligible for free and reduced price meals based upon school data.

FindYouthInfo.gov

FindYouthInfo.gov is designed to aid in creating, maintaining and strengthening effective youth programs. Included are youth facts, funding information, and tools to help assess community assets, generate maps of local and federal resources, search for evidence-based youth programs, and keep up-to-date on the latest, youth-related news.

Move More Afterschool Standards

The Move More North Carolina: Recommended Standards for After-School Physical Activity can be used as a guide to create practices, policies and environments supportive of physical activity in after-school programs across the state.

National School Lunch Program

The National School Lunch Program offers reimbursement to help schools serve snacks to children in afterschool activities aimed at promoting the health and well-being of children and youth in our communities. A fact sheet and frequently asked questions on this program are available.

ReCharge!

ReCharge! is a fun-for-kids afterschool program from Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) designed for students in grades 3-6 to learn about and practice good nutrition and physical activity habits.

21st Century Learning Centers

21st Century Learning Centers provide academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools. The program helps students meet state and local student standards in core academic subjects, such as reading and math; offers students a broad array of enrichment activities that can complement their regular academic programs; and offers literacy and other educational services to the families of participating children.

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project

The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) helps create and expand local food markets that will preserve agricultural heritage; give everyone access to fresh, healthy food; and keep farmers farming. ASAP serves as the southeast regional lead agency for the National Farm to School Network.

Carolina Farm Stewardship Association

The mission of the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) is to promote sustainable agriculture by inspiring, educating and organizing farmers and consumers. CFSA publishes a local food guide to connect consumers and neighbors to healthy food and farms.

Center for Environmental Farming Systems

North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University established the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. These partners work closely with state and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, farmers, and citizens to provide agricultural research, extension, and education for the state.

Farm to School

Farm to School programs connect schools with local farms with the objectives of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, providing health and nutrition education opportunities that will last a lifetime, and supporting local small farmers.

From Farm to Fork: A Guide to Building North Carolina’s Sustainable, Local Food Economy

The intent of From Farm to Fork: A Guide to Building North Carolina’s Sustainable Local Food Economy is to provide key action ideas for building a sustainable food economy in North Carolina at the state and local levels. Implementation of the recommended action steps will lead to significant economic development, stewardship of natural and agricultural resources, and better health and nutrition for all North Carolina residents.

Local Harvest

The Local Harvest  Web site provides a definitive and reliable "living" public nationwide directory of small farms, farmers markets, and other local food sources. The search engine helps consumers find products from family farms and local sources of sustainably grown food and encourages them to establish direct contact with small farms in their local area.

N.C. Farm to School

The N.C. Farm to School program Web site, from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, serves as a resource for child nutrition directors, teachers, parents and students who may be seeking information about nutrition, agriculture facts, classroom activities and field trip opportunities.

N.C. Farm Fresh

The N.C. Farm Fresh Web site, from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is a directory of pick-your-own farms, roadside farm markets, and farmers markets throughout the state. It is designed to help the consumer, find the freshest locally grown fruits, vegetables, plants, and herbs.

N.C. Fresh Link

The N.C. Fresh Link Web site, from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA & CS), provides access to the N.C. Fruit and Vegetable Shippers Directory, contact information for the NCDA & CS marketing team, the N.C. Fresh Link newsletter and a produce availability chart.

Eating Safely at School

Eating Safely at School, from the National School Boards Association, addresses what education policy makers need to know and do to prevent and respond to food-related Illness in school.

Food Detectives

The Food Detectives Fight BAC!® Web site offers a fun way for kids to learn about hand washing and safe food handling through a video, songs, activities and games. A list of food safety story books is also provided.

Para información en español, Los Detectives de Alimentos ¡Combaten a BAC!, consulte este sitio.

It’s a SNAP

Healthy Schools, Healthy People - It's a SNAP (School Network for Absenteeism Prevention) is a hands-on initiative for middle schools that is designed to help keep students in school and learning by improving overall health through promoting clean hands. SNAP offers a downloadable educational toolkit; video; poster; display; templates for stickers, postcards and a certificate; and links to additional resources.

Ounce of Prevention

The Ounce of Prevention campaign, created by the National Center for Infectious Diseases of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provides resources in English and Spanish about hand washing, cleaning and disinfection.

Recalls.gov: Food

This site is provided as a resource for federal recalls, including those from the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture, which share responsibility for food safety.

Scrub Club®

The Scrub Club® program, from the National Sanitation Foundation, is a fun, interactive and educational Web site that teaches children the proper way to wash their hands. The site consists of a Webisode, interactive games, educational music, downloadable activities for kids, educational materials for teachers, and program information for parents.

Wash Your Hands: Educating the School Community

Wash Your Hands: Educating the School Community from the National Food Service Management Institute features a booklet of classroom activities, hand washing posters in English and Spanish, a 4-minute video illustrating when and how proper hand-washing is done, and a video viewing guide.

Action for Healthy Kids

Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) is a nationwide initiative dedicated to improving the health and educational performance of children through better nutrition and physical activity in schools. This effort represents a response to our nation's epidemic of overweight, sedentary, and undernourished children and adolescents. Healthy schools produce healthy students - and healthy students are better able to learn and achieve their true potential.

Alliance for a Healthier Generation

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a partnership between the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, provides resources for schools to create environments that support healthy eating and physical activity for students.

American School Health Association

The mission of the American School Health Association (ASHA) is to build the capacity of its members to plan, develop, coordinate, implement, evaluate, and advocate for effective school health strategies that contribute to optimal health and academic outcomes for all children and youth.

Bridging the Gap – Research Informing Policies and Practices for Healthy Youth

The Local Wellness Policies: School District Strategies for Improving Children’s Health report presents data on the most comprehensive review of school district wellness policies conducted to date. Researchers evaluated policies related to nutrition education, school meals, competitive food and beverage guidelines, physical activity, physical education, food and beverage marketing in schools, and evaluation strategies for the school years 2006-07 and 2007-08, the first two years of the wellness policy requirement.

CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) provides data, health resources and assessment tools to help prevent the most serious health risks among children, adolescents and young adults.

Find Youth Info

This Web site offers Federally-developed interactive tools and other resources to help community organizations and partnerships in efforts to support youth. Included are tools and resources to assist in forming effective partnerships, assessing community assets, understanding risk factors and protective factors, generating maps of local and Federal resources, and searching for evidence-based youth programs.

Fuel Up to Play 60

The National Dairy Council has partnered with the National Football League to help students eat right and stay active with Fuel Up to Play 60. Schools using the student-led Fuel Up to Play 60 program can help inspire kids to "get up and play" for 60 minutes a day and to "fuel up" with the nutrient rich foods.

Leadership for Healthy Communities

Leadership for Healthy Communities is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation designed to support local and state government leaders nationwide in their efforts to reduce childhood obesity through public policies that promote active living, healthy eating and access to healthy foods. The Action Strategies Toolkit provides examples of policy approaches to improve children's health such as increasing access to parks and recreation centers and offering healthier foods in schools.

National Association of State Boards of Education

The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) is the national private association representing all state and territorial boards of education. NASBE's goal is to encourage safe, healthy, and nurturing school environments for all of the nation's children and youth.

National School Boards Association

The School Health Programs department supports the commitment of the National School Boards Association (NSBA) to help school policymakers and educators make informed decisions about health issues affecting the academic achievement and healthy development of students and the effective operation of schools.

National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity

The National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity (NANA) advocates for national policies and programs that promote healthy eating and physical activity to help reduce the illnesses, disabilities, premature deaths, and costs caused by diet- and inactivity-related diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity. The Web site offers model nutrition and physical activity policies.

N.C. Action for Healthy Kids

The mission of North Carolina Action for Healthy Kids (NCAFHK) is to improve children's nutrition and physical activity in schools by collaborating with diverse stakeholders in advocating, promoting and implementing national and state initiatives. NCAFHK’s primary work focuses on implementing Local Wellness Policies in North Carolina schools through the implementation of the Successful Students Eat Smart and Move More campaign.

N.C. Communities in Schools

North Carolina Communities in Schools (CIS) helps kids stay in school and prepare for life. Visit the Web site for resources, newsletters and upcoming events.

N.C. Healthy Schools

The goal of North Carolina Healthy Schools is to create a working infrastructure between education and health to enable schools and communities to create a coordinated school health program (CSHP). N.C. Healthy Schools provides resources, tools and policies that support a CSHP.

N.C. NET Program

The North Carolina Nutrition Education and Training or NET Program, through its local, state and federal partnerships, provides leadership in promoting healthful eating habits for our state's children. NET strives to integrate mealtime and learning experiences to help children make informed food choices as part of a healthy lifestyle. The NET Program has many resources available to guide the development and assist with implementation of local wellness policy.

N.C. Parent Teacher Association

The North Carolina Parent Teacher Association (PTA) works to encourage parent and public involvement in the schools.

Nutrition Explorations

The National Dairy Council provides a range of programs and materials to help schools meet nutrition education goals and support school-wide implementation of the Local Wellness Policy.

School Health Index

The School Health Index (SHI), from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is a detailed self-assessment that schools can use to improve their health and safety policies and programs. The assessment addresses physical activity, nutrition, tobacco prevention needs and safety-related behaviors.

School Nutrition Association

The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is a national, nonprofit professional organization that works to ensure all children have access to healthful school meals and nutrition education. They provide guidelines to use when creating local wellness policies for school districts, a report summarizing the characteristics of the wellness policies approved by the 100 largest school districts in the country, a second report examining local wellness policies approved by a wide variety of school districts in 49 states, and frequently asked questions and answers.

USDA Team Nutrition

Team Nutrition is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service to support Child Nutrition Programs through training and technical assistance for foodservice, nutrition education for children and their caregivers, and school and community support for healthy eating and physical activity. The Web site contains local wellness policy requirements, sample wellness policies, implementation and evaluation tools and resources and frequently asked questions and answers.

Active Living by Design

Active Living by Design (ALBD) creates community-led change by working with local and national partners to build a culture of active living and healthy eating. Established by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, ALBD is part of the North Carolina Institute for Public Health at the University of North Carolina, Gillings School of Global Public Health.

American Dietetic Association (ADA)

The American Dietetic Association offers nutrition fact sheets with facts, tips and recipes covering a variety of food and nutrition topics; a good nutrition reading list; as well as brochures, tip sheets and other resources to help achieve a healthy lifestyle.

CDC Podcasts

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers podcasts, targeted to both health professionals and the public, which provide health and safety-related tips and information. Ask CDC is a podcast series which answers real questions submitted to 1-800-CDC-INFO and askcdc@cdc.gov.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are published jointly every 5 years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S Department of Health and Human Services.  The guidelines provide authoritative advice for people two years and older about how good dietary habits can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans Web site contains resources for educators and consumers. También se ofrece unas partes en Español.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are the cornerstone of Federal nutrition policy and nutrition education activities. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 are currently in development. The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee proceedings and report are available for review.

Eat a Variety of Fruits and Vegetables Every Day

This Web site from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers information on the benefits of fruits and vegetables, an explanation of what counts as a serving, fruit and vegetable of the month features, tips, recipes, interactive tools, and more.

Eat Smart, Move More North Carolina

Eat Smart, Move More NC is a statewide movement to promote increased opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating through policy and environmental change. The Web site provides a variety of resources to promote healthy eating and physical activity.

Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ Healthy Lifestyle

The Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ Healthy Lifestyle site is specifically designed for parents and caregivers to provide information to help you eat better, be more physically active and be a role model for your kids.

Farmers Markets

The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers a variety of resources related to farmers markets, from finding a market to starting one or promoting local agriculture.

Food Trust

The non-profit Food Trust works to improve the health of children and adults, promote good nutrition, increase access to healthy foods and advocate for improved public policy.

From Farm to Fork: A Guide to Building North Carolina’s Sustainable, Local Food Economy

The intent of From Farm to Fork: A Guide to Building North Carolina’s Sustainable Local Food Economy is to provide key action ideas for building a sustainable food economy in North Carolina at the state and local levels. Implementation of the recommended action steps will lead to significant economic development, stewardship of natural and agricultural resources, and better health and nutrition for all North Carolina residents.

Fruits & Veggies — More Matters™

Fruits & Veggies — More Matters™ is a dynamic health initiative to inspire and support consumers to eat more fruits and vegetables, showcasing the unrivaled combination of great taste, nutrition, abundant variety, and various product forms (fresh, frozen, canned, dried, and 100% juice). The goal is to achieve increased daily consumption of fruits and vegetables.  Information about the benefits of fruits and vegetables, tips, recipes, brochures and more can be found at this Web site.

How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label

This useful Web site offers easy-to-understand information on Nutrition Facts labels. 

Institute of Medicine

The Institute of Medicine (IOM), National Academy of Sciences provides evidence-based information and guidance concerning health and science policy to policy-makers, professionals and the public.

Interactive Menu Planner

This Web site provides an online tool that calculates the servings and calories of your selections from a list of available foods and beverages to make up a meal of specified calories. It also has a link to a Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator and an explanation of Portion Distortion.

Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food

The U.S. Department of Agriculture initiative - Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food - aims to connect local production and consumption and promote local-scale sustainable operations.

Milk Matters

This Web site provides essential information on the many benefits of milk and calcium. It contains links to up-to-date research on calcium, Milk Matters campaign-related publications and materials, and a Milk Matters Kids' page with interactive puzzles and games designed to provide a fun way for kids to learn about the benefits of drinking milk.

Para información en español, consulte este sitio.

MyEatSmartMoveMore.com

MyEatSmartMoveMore.com for consumers provides recipes, tools and tips for eating smart and moving more.

MyPyramid.gov

The interactive component of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new food pyramid, MyPyramid, this Web site allows users to input their age, sex, and amount of daily physical activity to create a personalized food pyramid. The personalized pyramid comes along with recommendations of consumption of specific foods and a meal-tracking worksheet to follow your progress. MyPyramid Tracker is a tool that allows users to take an interactive, in-depth assessment of their food intake and physical activity.

Para información en español, El Plan MiPirámide, consulte este sitio.

N.C. Fit Together

To address the growing obesity epidemic, the North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina created a comprehensive initiative, Fit Together, to promote and help implement proven and innovative interventions to increase people’s physical activity and improve nutrition choices. Fit Community recognizes and rewards municipality and county-wide efforts to promote physical activity, healthy eating and tobacco-free programs, policies, environments and lifestyles.

Nutrition for Everyone

This Web site helps everyone in developing healthier eating habits. Resources include general nutrition information, healthy recipes, dietary supplement facts, nutrition for children, fruit and vegetable information as well as food safety tips.

Nutrition.gov

Nutrition.gov serves as a gateway to reliable information on nutrition, healthy eating, meal planning, food safety and food assistance programs for consumers, educators and health professionals.

Para información en español, consulte este sitio.

Partnership for Prevention

Partnership for Prevention is a membership organization of businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies advancing policies and practices to prevent disease and improve the health of all Americans. The Partnership analyzes leading edge scientific research to identify effective policies and practices and develops evidence-based policy recommendations and tools.

Planning for Healthy Places

Land use, economic development, and redevelopment policies offer a valuable set of tools to promote and enhance healthy communities. Local governments, private developers, and community groups can all work to create patterns of development that improve community health--by ensuring that farmers' markets and neighborhood grocery stores are supported, for instance, or by promoting sidewalks, parks and other environmental components that encourage physical activity.

PolicyLink

PolicyLink is a national research and action institute focusing attention on how people are working successfully to use local, state, and federal policy to create community conditions, including access to healthy food and physical activity opportunities, that benefit everyone. PolicyLink shares findings and analysis through publications, online tools, national summits, and briefings with national and local policymakers. PolicyLink provides support to the Healthy Eating Active Living Convergence Partnership.

Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States

The Common Community Measures for Obesity Prevention Project, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), identifies and recommends a set of strategies and associated measurements that communities and local governments can use to plan and monitor environmental and policy-level changes for obesity prevention.

SmallStep.gov

SmallStep.gov aims to prevent obesity by encouraging small dietary and physical activity changes in the form of small steps, such as Step 5 - "Drink water before a meal", Step 35 - "Sit up straight at work", and Step 106 - "When eating out, ask your server to put half your entrée in a to-go-bag". The Web site includes the list of steps, health facts, campaign public service announcements (PSAs), and other resources. Web site visitors can create an activity tracker to monitor their progress and sign up for a newsletter with tips and recipes.

Para información en español, consulte este sitio.

Action for Healthy Kids

Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) is a nationwide initiative dedicated to improving the health and educational performance of children through better nutrition and physical activity in schools. This effort represents a response to our nation's epidemic of overweight, sedentary, and undernourished children and adolescents. Healthy schools produce healthy students - and healthy students are better able to learn and achieve their true potential.

BAM!

BAM! Body and Mind is an online destination designed for kids 9-13 years old. BAM! Body and Mind gives them the information they need to make healthy lifestyle choices. The Web site focuses on topics that are important to kids such as stress and physical fitness using kid-friendly lingo, games, quizzes, and other interactive features. BAM! Body and Mind also serves as an aid to teachers, providing them with interactive, educational, and fun activities that are linked to the national education standards for science and health. 

Best Bones Forever

Best Bones Forever!™, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a campaign for girls that encourages them to grow strong by getting active and eating more foods with calcium and vitamin D.

CDC Kidtastics

Kidtastics is a podcast series, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which provides take home health and safety messages, in English and Spanish, for kids ages 5-10. “For kids by kids”, the audio podcasts are kid-friendly, with fun music and sound effects.

Chefs Move to Schools

The Chefs Move to Schools initiative, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, aims to connect chefs with schools recognizing a potential role for the culinary community to play in ensuring our schools provide nutritious food to students.

Eat Smart. Play Hard^TM

The Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ Campaign was launched by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to encourage and teach children, parents, and caregivers to eat healthy and be physically active every day.  Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ offers resources and tools to convey and reinforce healthy eating and lifestyle behaviors.

Fruit & Veggie Color Champions^TM

This Web site allows students to choose a Fruit & Veggie Color Champion^TM (Big Pauly, Greta, Raoul, Winonna or Yaz O’Frazz) to guide them through games, art activities, recipes, coloring sheets and activity pages to learn about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables. 

Girlshealth.gov

Girlshealth.gov, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was created to help girls (ages 10-16) learn about health, growing up, and issues they may face. It focuses on health topics that girls are concerned about and helps motivate them to choose healthy behaviors.

Healthy Communities, Healthy Youth – Healthy Eating and Community Design

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation whose primary goal is to implement healthy eating and active living policy and environmental change initiatives that can support healthier communities for children and families across the United States. This resource guide provides a listing of relevant programs, organizations, tools and presentations intended to support healthy eating via community design.

Institute of Medicine

The Institute of Medicine (IOM), National Academy of Sciences provides evidence-based information and guidance concerning health and science policy to policy-makers, professionals and the public. The IOM has released reports on the progress in preventing childhood obesity, food marketing to children, nutrition standards for food in schools, and strategies that local governments can take to address healthy eating.

Leadership for Healthy Communities

Leadership for Healthy Communities is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation designed to support local and state government leaders nationwide in their efforts to reduce childhood obesity through public policies that promote active living, healthy eating and access to healthy foods. The Action Strategies Toolkit provides examples of policy approaches to improve children's health such as increasing access to parks and recreation centers and offering healthier foods in schools.

Let’s Move

Join First Lady Michelle Obama, community leaders, health professionals, and families in a nationwide campaign to tackle the challenge of childhood obesity. Let’s Move will give parents the support they need, provide healthier food in schools, help our kids to be more physically active, and make healthy, affordable food available in every part of our country.

Mighty Giants

MightyGiants.com is designed to entertain and educate children about the importance of a balanced diet and exercise. 

MyPyramid for Kids

This Web site provides access to MyPyramid materials designed specifically for children aged 6 to 11: MyPyramid Blast Off Game, MyPyramid for Kids Poster, Tips for Families, A Close Look at MyPyramid for Kids, MyPyramid for Kids Coloring Page and MyPyramid for Kids Worksheet.

N.C. Action for Healthy Kids

North Carolina Action for Healthy Kids (NCAFHK) is one of 51 Action for Healthy Kids state teams. The mission of North Carolina Action for Healthy Kids is to improve children's nutrition and physical activity in schools by collaborating with diverse stakeholders in advocating, promoting and implementing national and state initiatives.

N.C. Healthy Schools

North Carolina Healthy Schools, a partnership of the N.C. Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the N.C. Division of Public Health, focuses on improving the health of students and staff by providing coordination and resources in eight component areas of school health: comprehensive school health education, school health services, a safe physical environment, school counseling, psychological and social services, physical education, nutrition services, school-site health promotion for staff, and family and community involvement in schools.

N.C. Legislative Task Force on Childhood Obesity

The North Carolina General Assembly convened a Task Force to study issues relating to childhood obesity and to recommend strategies for addressing the problem of childhood obesity and encouraging healthy eating and increased physical activity among children. The final report explains the charge of the Task Force, summarizes the meeting proceedings, and lists the findings and recommendations.

Spot the Block

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Cartoon Network have launched “Spot the Block”, a public education campaign to encourage tweens (ages 9-13) to use the Nutrition Facts information on food labels.  The interactive Web site gives tweens the opportunity to explore information about serving sizes, calories and nutrient selection.

Super Kids

The Super Kids Web site features tips for eating healthy and being active, a fruit and vegetable encyclopedia, kid’s cookbook, games, and more. The section for parents includes the latest in nutrition research, serving size guidelines, fruit and vegetable nutrition facts, and tips for encouraging children to eat more fruits and vegetables.  The section for teachers includes fun lesson plans, activities and games to teach students about the importance of fruits and vegetables.

Turbana Land

This Web site features fun recipes, games and more to teach children about where bananas come from and the health benefits of eating them.

We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition)

We Can! is a national program designed as a one-stop resource for parents and caregivers interested in practical tools to help children 8 to 13 years old stay at a healthy weight. Tips and fun activities offered to parents, health care providers, and community groups focus on three critical behaviors: improved food choices, increased physical activity, and reduced screen time. 

American Food Holidays  

This list of national food holidays can inspire bulletin board ideas.

Fruit & Vegetable of the Month

Fruit & Vegetable of the Month, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), offers photos, recipes and background, history, nutrition, selection, and storage information for featured produce.

Classroom Displays and Bulletin Boards

This site offers ideas for bulletin boards, door designs, and posters teachers can use to enhance their classroom.

Education World^®

Tips and resources are offered for using bulletin boards to teach.

Ideas for Bulletin Boards

This site offers bulletin board ideas from teachers that will work in almost any classroom.

Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators – Bulletin Board Ideas

This guide offers bulletin board ideas, photos and links to resources.

Jazzy Food & Nutrition Bulletin Board Ideas

The Louisiana Department of Education shares Jazzy Food & Nutrition Bulletin Board Ideas including designs, suggested materials and learning activities.

MyPyramid for Kids

This Web site provides access to MyPyramid materials designed specifically for children aged 6 to 11.

N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services – Educational Resources

The N.C. Department of Agriculture has a variety of resources available from their Web site: information on North Carolina produce and local farmers, educational materials, classroom tools, contact information for North Carolina agricultural associations, etc.

N.C. NET Program Making the Connection Bulletin Board Toolkit

Bulletin boards can be colorful, engaging visuals that stimulate the minds of students and school staff. These educational tools also have the power to reinforce the healthy lifestyle messages presented in the classroom and cafeteria. The bulletin boards included in this toolkit support the messages of the Food for Thought curriculum and Making the Connection Smart Strategies.

Nutrition Explorations

The Nutrition Explorations Web site offers a variety of resources for educators and school nutrition professionals. 

Team Nutrition Bulletin Board Resources

Help your students and staff learn to make healthful food choices by creating a colorful bulletin board in your child care center, classroom or cafeteria. Use the U.S. Department of Agriculture Team Nutrition bulletin board resources for a themed display that will make your students and staff stop and look!

Team Nutrition Events Calendar

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Team Nutrition Events Calendar and Companion were developed to help you plan and conduct creative nutrition education activities that support healthy school meals. The Calendar lets you see at a glance the many opportunities for coordinating nutrition education with events throughout the year.

Team Nutrition Features of the Month

Use the U.S. Department of Agriculture Team Nutrition Features of the Month to celebrate food, nutrition and health observances with students and school staff. Features of the Month can serve as a guide for bulletin board themes.

American Dietetic Association (ADA)

The American Dietetic Association offers nutrition fact sheets with facts, tips and recipes covering a variety of food and nutrition topics; a good nutrition reading list; as well as brochures, tip sheets and other resources to help achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

The Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition is responsible for promoting and protecting the public's health by ensuring that the nation's food supply is safe, sanitary, wholesome, and honestly labeled.

Crunch the Numbers

Crunch the Numbers, sponsored by Produce for Better Health Foundation, is a program for grades 3-4 aligned with national math and health standards that allows students to learn about the healthy benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables.

CYFERnet – Children, Youth and Families Education and Research Network

CYFERnet is a national network of Land Grant university faculty and county Extension educators working to support community-based educational programs. CYFERnet offers practical research-based tools, curricula, activities and information for working with youth, parents, families, and communities.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are published jointly every 5 years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. The guidelines provide authoritative advice for people two years and older about how good dietary habits can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans Web site contains resources for educators and consumers. También se ofrece unas partes en Español.

Eat Smart, Move More North Carolina

Eat Smart, Move More NC is a statewide movement that promotes increased opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity wherever people live, learn, earn, play and pray. There is a section on the Eat Smart, Move More NC Web site dedicated to schools where you can access a variety of tools and resources.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

The FDA Web site contains information about food, food safety and nutrition for consumers, kids, health professionals, educators, government, industry, and the media. También se ofrece unas partes en Español.

Goodness Grows in NC and Got to Be NC

The N.C. Department of Agriculture Goodness Grows in NC and Got to Be NC promotional and educational campaigns provide recipes, how to find North Carolina produce, and other information for consumers and kids.

Healthy Meals Resource System

The Healthy Meals Resource System from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library provides links to recipes, reports and studies, and resources for menu planning, food service, food safety, nutrition education and special diets.

Make Your Calories Count

Make Your Calories Count is an interactive learning program that provides consumers with information to help plan a healthful diet while managing calorie intake using the food label.

Milk Matters

"Milk Matters"' online lesson resources are designed to help students understand the importance of making smart food choices through calcium lessons, fact sheets, take-home assignments, and classroom discussion.  All of the materials are consistent with National Health Education Standards.

Para información en español, consulte este sitio.

MyPyramid

The interactive component of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new food pyramid, MyPyramid, this Web site allows users to input their age, sex, and amount of daily physical activity to create a personalized food pyramid. The personalized pyramid comes along with recommendations of consumption of specific foods and a meal-tracking worksheet to follow your progress. MyPyramid Tracker is a tool that allows users to take an interactive, in-depth assessment of their food intake and physical activity.

Para información en español, El Plan MiPirámide, consulte este sitio.

MyPyramid for Kids

This Web site provides access to MyPyramid materials designed specifically for children aged 6 to 11: MyPyramid Blast Off Game, MyPyramid for Kids Poster, Tips for Families, A Close Look at MyPyramid for Kids, MyPyramid for Kids Coloring Page and MyPyramid for Kids Worksheet.

MyPyramid for Kids Classroom Materials

This Web site links to educational materials developed by U.S. Department of Agriculture Team Nutrition for the elementary school level to help children learn the MyPyramid food guidance system.  Lesson plans for teachers are available in three levels: Level 1 (grades 1-2); Level 2 (grades 3-4); and Level 3 (grades 5-6).

National Dairy Council

The National Dairy Council publishes educational materials that can be used with students, teachers and families. También se ofrece unas partes en Español.

N.C. Department of Agriculture Educational Resources

The N.C. Department of Agriculture has a variety of resources available from their Web site: information on North Carolina produce and local farmers, educational materials, classroom tools, contact information for North Carolina agricultural associations, etc.

N.C. Dietetic Association (NCDA)

The North Carolina Dietetic Association serves the public through the promotion of optimal nutrition, health and well-being.  NCDA has ten districts spread across the state with members working in hospitals, health departments, clinics, schools, universities, corporations, and other settings.  NCDA or any of its districts can be a connection to additional resources for nutrition education – either through materials or volunteers.

N.C. Fruits & Veggies Nutrition Coalition

The mission of the N.C. Fruits & Veggies Nutrition Coalition is to promote better health for all North Carolinians by increasing their fruit and vegetable consumption.  Materials are downloadable from the Web site to get babies, young children and school age children and adults thinking and eating more fruits and vegetables each day.

N.C. Healthful Living Standard Course of Study

The North Carolina Healthful Living Standard Course of Study is a combination of two content areas: health education and physical education. The intent of the N.C. Healthful Living Standard Course of Study is to establish competency goals and objectives for the teaching and learning of behaviors that contribute to a healthful lifestyle and improved quality of life for all students.

Nutrition.gov

Nutrition.gov is a great resource for up-to-date food and nutrition information serving as a gateway to reliable information on nutrition, healthy eating, meal planning, food safety and food assistance programs for consumers, educators and health professionals.

Para información en español, consulte este sitio.

Nutrition Explorations

The Nutrition Explorations Web site has sections for educators, school nutrition professionals, families and students. 

Produce for Better Health Foundation

The Produce for Better Health Foundation is a non-profit consumer education foundation whose purpose is to motivate people to eat more fruits and vegetables to improve health.  A number of educational resources are downloadable under the Educators tab on the Web site.

School Nutrition Association of North Carolina (SNANC)

The School Nutrition Association of North Carolina’s vision is “School Nutrition: Growing Healthy Children”.  SNANC can be a state level resource for nutrition education training and materials.  SNANC has local chapters that can provide connections to other school nutrition professionals for ideas and resources.

SmallStep.gov for Kids Teacher Resources

Teaching materials have been designed, connected to the SmallStep.gov initiative, to help 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade students build Language Arts and Math skills as they learn about health and fitness.

Southeast United Dairy Industry Association, Inc. (SUDIA)

The Southeast United Dairy Industry Association, Inc. provides resources about calcium, dairy and nutrition for consumers, health professionals, educators and dairy farmers.

Team Nutrition Resources for Educators

U.S. Department of Agriculture Team Nutrition offers downloadable classroom curriculum and activities and other materials for educators.

USDA Youth Resources

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides students, parents, and teachers with youth-geared information and resources related to agriculture.

Active Living by Design

Active Living by Design (ALBD) creates community-led change by working with local and national partners to build a culture of active living and healthy eating. Established by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, ALBD is part of the North Carolina Institute for Public Health at the University of North Carolina, Gillings School of Global Public Health.

Be Active North Carolina

Be Active North Carolina, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing physical activity levels and promoting healthy lifestyles among all North Carolinians.

CDC Podcasts

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers podcasts, targeted to both health professionals and the public, which provide health and safety-related tips and information. Ask CDC is a podcast series which answers real questions submitted to 1-800-CDC-INFO and askcdc@cdc.gov.

Complete Streets

Complete Streets are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users. The National Complete Streets Coalition advocates for and offers resources to transform the look, feel and function of the roads and streets in our communities, by changing the way they are planned, designed and constructed.

Eat Smart, Move More North Carolina

Eat Smart, Move More NC is a statewide movement to promote increased opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating through policy and environmental change. The Web site provides a variety of resources to promote healthy eating and physical activity.

Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ Healthy Lifestyle

The Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ Healthy Lifestyle site is specifically designed for parents and caregivers to provide information to help you eat better, be more physically active and be a role model for your kids.

HealthierUS.gov

HealthierUS.gov is a Web site supporting the President's HealthierUS initiative focusing on physical fitness, prevention, and nutrition and making healthy choices. It serves as a source of credible, accurate information to help Americans choose to live healthier lives.

Joint Use

Joint use is a way to increase opportunities for children and adults to be more physically active. It refers to two or more entities, usually a school and a city or private organization, sharing indoor and outdoor spaces like gymnasiums, athletic fields and playgrounds.

MyPyramid

The interactive component of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new food pyramid, MyPyramid, this Web site allows users to input their age, sex, and amount of daily physical activity to create a personalized food pyramid. MyPyramid Tracker is a tool that allows users to take an interactive, in-depth assessment of their physical activity.

Para información en español, El Plan MiPirámide, consulte este sitio.

National Physical Activity Plan

The U.S. National Physical Activity Plan is a private-public sector collaborative, engaging hundreds of organizations dedicated to changing our communities in ways that will enable every American to be sufficiently physically active. The National Plan aims to create a culture that supports physically active lifestyles for the ultimate purposes of improving health, preventing disease and disability, and enhancing quality of life.

N.C. Complete Streets Policy

Under the N.C. Complete Streets Policy, the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) works with cities, towns and communities to consider accommodating several modes of transportation when building new projects or making improvements to existing infrastructure. This approach improves safety, makes it easier for travelers to get where they need to go, encourages the use of alternate forms of transportation, increases the connectivity between streets and transit systems, and works to build a strong sense of community.

N.C. Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation

The N.C. Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation (DBPT) is a comprehensive initiative designing facilities, creating safety programs, mapping cross-state bicycle routes, training teachers, sponsoring workshops and conferences, fostering multi-modal planning and integrating bicycling and walking into the ongoing activities of the N.C. Department of Transportation.

N.C. Fit Together

To address the growing obesity epidemic, the North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina created a comprehensive initiative, Fit Together, to promote and help implement proven and innovative interventions to increase people’s physical activity and improve nutrition choices. Fit Community recognizes and rewards municipality and county-wide efforts to promote physical activity, healthy eating and tobacco-free programs, policies, environments and lifestyles.

N.C. Office of Environmental Education

The North Carolina Office of Environmental Education, in an effort to promote the integration of Environmental Education (EE) and personal health, has developed a list of EE centers with walking trails and other health-related activities and exhibits.

Partnership for Prevention

Partnership for Prevention is a membership organization of businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies advancing policies and practices to prevent disease and improve the health of all Americans. The Partnership analyzes leading edge scientific research to identify effective policies and practices and develops evidence-based policy recommendations and tools.

Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

The Federal Government has issued its first-ever Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. The guidelines describe the types and amounts of physical activity that offer substantial health benefits to Americans. The Advisory Committee report, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, Be Active Your Way: A Guide for Adults and an implementation tool kit for organizations and communities are downloadable from the Web site.

Planning for Healthy Places

Land use, economic development, and redevelopment policies offer a valuable set of tools to promote and enhance healthy communities. Local governments, private developers, and community groups can all work to create patterns of development that improve community health - by ensuring that farmers' markets and neighborhood grocery stores are supported, or by promoting sidewalks, parks and other environmental components that encourage physical activity.

PolicyLink

PolicyLink is a national research and action institute focusing attention on how people are working successfully to use local, state, and federal policy to create community conditions, including access to healthy food and physical activity opportunities, that benefit everyone. PolicyLink shares findings and analysis through publications, online tools, national summits, and briefings with national and local policymakers. PolicyLink provides support to the Healthy Eating Active Living Convergence Partnership.

President's Challenge - You're it. Get fit!

A central component of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the President's Challenge - You're it. Get fit! - encourages all Americans to make being active part of their everyday lives. This Web site is the interactive component of that challenge and provides information for kids, teens, adults, seniors, teachers and physical activity advocates on how to register, track progress, calculate fitness and earn awards for meeting goals. 

Recreation.gov

A partnership among Federal land management agencies to provide an easy-to-use Web site with information about all federal recreation areas, the Web site allows you to search for recreation areas by state, recreational activity, agency, or map. 

Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States

The Common Community Measures for Obesity Prevention Project, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), identifies and recommends a set of strategies and associated measurements that communities and local governments can use to plan and monitor environmental and policy-level changes for obesity prevention.

SmallStep.gov

SmallStep.gov aims to prevent obesity by encouraging small dietary and physical activity changes in the form of small steps, such as Step 5 - "Drink water before a meal", Step 35 - "Sit up straight at work", and Step 106 - "When eating out, ask your server to put half your entrée in a to-go-bag". The Web site includes the list of steps, health facts, campaign public service announcements (PSAs), and other resources. Web site visitors can create an activity tracker to monitor their progress and sign up for a newsletter with tips and recipes.

Para información en español, consulte este sitio.

Action for Healthy Kids

Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) is a nationwide initiative dedicated to improving the health and educational performance of children through better nutrition and physical activity in schools. This effort represents a response to our nation's epidemic of overweight, sedentary, and undernourished children and adolescents. Healthy schools produce healthy students - and healthy students are better able to learn and achieve their true potential.

BAM!

BAM! Body and Mind is an online destination designed for kids 9-13 years old. BAM! Body and Mind gives them the information they need to make healthy lifestyle choices. The Web site focuses on topics that are important to kids such as stress and physical fitness using kid-friendly lingo, games, quizzes, and other interactive features. BAM! Body and Mind also serves as an aid to teachers, providing them with interactive, educational, and fun activities that are linked to the national education standards for science and health. 

Best Bones Forever

Best Bones Forever!™, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a campaign for girls that encourages them to grow strong by getting active and eating more foods with calcium and vitamin D.

CDC Kidtastics

Kidtastics is a podcast series, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which provides take home health and safety messages, in English and Spanish, for kids ages 5-10. “For kids by kids”, the audio podcasts are kid-friendly, with fun music and sound effects.

Energizers

Energizers are short, classroom-based physical activities. The activities last approximately 10 minutes, integrate grade-appropriate learning materials, involve no equipment and require little teacher preparation.

Girlshealth.gov

Girlshealth.gov, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was created to help girls (ages 10-16) learn about health, growing up, and issues they may face. It focuses on health topics that girls are concerned about and helps motivate them to choose healthy behaviors.

Go Trybe

GoTrybe.com is an online community where kids and teens can get active, learn about being healthy and connect with each other. The online resource is a partnership of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and GoTrybe.com to use social media and GoTrybe technology to spread the word about the National Physical Activity Guidelines.

Healthy Youth, Healthy Communities – Built Environment and Physical Activity

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation whose primary goal is to implement healthy eating and active living policy and environmental change initiatives that can support healthier communities for children and families across the United States. This resource guide provides a listing of relevant programs, organizations, tools and presentations intended to support increasing active living via community design.

Institute of Medicine

The Institute of Medicine (IOM), National Academy of Sciences provides evidence-based information and guidance concerning health and science policy to policy-makers, professionals and the public. The IOM has released reports on the progress in preventing childhood obesity and strategies that local governments can take to address active living.

KaBOOM!

KaBOOM! is a national non-profit providing toolkits, training and technical assistance for developing playgrounds and creating safe communities that support physical activity.

Kidnetic.com

Kidnetic.com is a site from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation for kids and their parents to learn more about health, fitness and nutrition through fun games, recipes and articles. The Kidnetic.com Leader’s Guide is a lesson-based curriculum guide for health professionals and educators to use when working with patients and students, and the Parents’ Guide provides quick and easy-to-use information just for parents.

Leadership for Healthy Communities

Leadership for Healthy Communities is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation designed to support local and state government leaders nationwide in their efforts to reduce childhood obesity through public policies that promote active living, healthy eating and access to healthy foods. The Action Strategies Toolkit provides examples of policy approaches to improve children's health such as increasing access to parks and recreation centers and offering healthier foods in schools.

Let’s Move

Join First Lady Michelle Obama, community leaders, health professionals, and families in a nationwide campaign to tackle the challenge of childhood obesity. Let’s Move will give parents the support they need, provide healthier food in schools, help our kids to be more physically active, and make healthy, affordable food available in every part of our country.

Move More Standards

The More More: North Carolina’s Recommended Standards for Physical Activity in School provide suggestions on the roles that students, families, principals, teachers, school staff, school board members, superintendents and community leaders can play in making school a place that supports and encourages physical activity.

MyPyramid for Kids

This Web site provides access to MyPyramid materials designed specifically for children aged 6 to 11: MyPyramid Blast Off Game, MyPyramid for Kids Poster, Tips for Families, A Close Look at MyPyramid for Kids, MyPyramid for Kids Coloring Page and MyPyramid for Kids Worksheet.

National Association for Sport and Physical Education

National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) is a national authority on physical education and a professional membership association that sets the standard for practice in physical education and sport.

N.C. Action for Healthy Kids

North Carolina Action for Healthy Kids (NCAFHK) is one of 51 Action for Healthy Kids state teams. The mission of N.C. Action for Healthy Kids is to improve children's nutrition and physical activity in schools by collaborating with diverse stakeholders in advocating, promoting and implementing national and state initiatives.

N.C. Alliance for Athletics, Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance

The North Carolina Alliance for Athletics, Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (NCAAHPERD) is a professional association dedicated to the advancement of research and education within the fields of Athletics, Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

N.C. Healthy Schools

North Carolina Healthy Schools, a partnership of the N.C. Department of Public Instruction and the N.C. Division of Public Health, focuses on improving the health of students and staff by providing coordination and resources in eight component areas of school health: comprehensive school health education, school health services, a safe physical environment, school counseling, psychological and social services, physical education, nutrition services, school-site health promotion for staff, and family and community involvement in schools.

N.C. Legislative Task Force on Childhood Obesity

The North Carolina General Assembly convened a Task Force to study issues relating to childhood obesity and to recommend strategies for addressing the problem of childhood obesity and encouraging healthy eating and increased physical activity among children. The final report explains the charge of the Task Force, summarizes the meeting proceedings, and lists the findings and recommendations.

N.C. Safe Routes to School

The North Carolina Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program enables and encourages children to walk and bicycle to school; makes walking and bicycling to school a safe and more appealing transportation option; and facilitates the planning, development, and implementation of projects and activities that will improve safety and reduce traffic, fuel consumption, and air pollution in the vicinity of school.

N.C. Walks to School

This module brings together key documents and tools into one convenient package to address components of planning local Walk to School Events. Some documents are comprehensive and provide lots of instruction and examples for Walk to School programs, as well as guidance around technical issues involved in community change to support physical activity.

Powerful Bones, Powerful Girls

Aimed at promoting healthy bones in adolescent girls, this Web site features information on calcium and physical activity. The character Carla gives tips on meal and snack ideas tailored to adolescent girls, such as ideas for nutrition at the mall and school, suggestions on physical activity, and how to gain information about calcium on food labels. The Web site also offers games, quizzes, a calendar, bone health dictionary and links for further health and fitness information.

Safe Routes to School

The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration offers resources for Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs administered by each state. SRTS programs enable community leaders, schools and parents to enhance safety and encourage more children to walk and bicycle to school. The programs are working to reduce traffic congestion and improve overall health and the environment, making communities more livable for everyone.

SmallStep.gov for Kids

Children and their families are encouraged to visit this site where they can find fun, interactive and beneficial information on healthy eating and physical activity. Also, related teaching materials have been designed to help 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade students build Language Arts and Math skills as they learn about health and fitness.

Para información en español, consulte este sitio.

VERB™ It's what you do

VERB™ It’s what you do. was a national, multicultural, social marketing campaign coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The VERB campaign encouraged tweens (youth age 9-13) to be physically active every day.  Resources developed for the campaign are still accessible via the Web site.    

We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition)

We Can! is a national program designed as a one-stop resource for parents and caregivers interested in practical tools to help children 8 to 13 years old stay at a healthy weight. Tips and fun activities offered to parents, health care providers, and community groups focus on three critical behaviors: improved food choices, increased physical activity, and reduced screen time.

Youth Physical Activity Guidelines Toolkit

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which provide science-based recommendations to help persons aged 6 years or older improve their health through physical activity. The Youth Physical Activity Guidelines Toolkit can be used by anyone who promotes youth physical activity.

Expanding Breakfast

The Expanding Breakfast Toolkit, from the National Dairy Council, explains strategies for expanding school breakfast, shares research findings on the benefits of breakfast, addresses frequently asked questions, and offers a video, fact sheets and brochure to illustrate the program.

Got Breakfast? Foundation

The Got Breakfast?^® Foundation works to address childhood hunger and ensure that every child starts the school day with a nutritious breakfast in order to learn, grow and develop to his or her full potential. The "Got Breakfast?" campaign educates students, parents, teachers, and administrators about the importance of breakfast and the options available for students to receive breakfast served in school.

School Breakfast Outreach Center

The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) offers school breakfast data and reports, including the School Breakfast Report Card, as well as strategies and resources for expanding school breakfast.

School Breakfast Program

The School Breakfast Program (SBP) provides cash assistance to States to operate nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and residential childcare institutions. The program is administered at the Federal level by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. State education agencies administer the SBP at the state level, and local school food authorities operate it in schools.

School Breakfast Toolkit

The School Breakfast Toolkit, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, offers information to help promote and expand School Breakfast Programs (SBP) as a way of supporting positive outcomes for children.

4-H Plant & Soils

Welcome all plant geeks and mud-pie makers! For those of you that enjoy tickling sensitive plants and get excited about squishing soil in your fingers, munching on begonias, and getting lost in corn mazes, get ready to explore, with North Carolina 4-H, a natural world that brims with mysteries waiting to be discovered by YOU!

4-H Virtual Farm

The objective of the 4-H Virtual Farm is to provide youth with an opportunity to learn basic agricultural concepts. The scope of the 4-H Virtual Farm project is specifically mirrored in the Standards of Learning.

American Community Gardening Association

The American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) is a nonprofit organization that supports community gardening by facilitating the formation and expansion of state and regional community gardening networks, developing resources in support of community gardening, and encouraging research and conducting educational programs.

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) Growing Minds

The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture project is a non-profit organization that supports farmers and rural communities by providing education, mentoring, promotion and Web resources, and community and policy development.  ASAP has developed Growing Minds, which provides lesson plans, children’s literature resources and information about creating school gardens, organizing farm field trips and purchasing local foods for schools.

California School Garden Network

The curriculum section, compiled by the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Garden-Based Learning Workgroup, provides over one hundred garden-based lessons to create, expand, and sustain garden-based learning experiences. It offers practical ideas and resources for every level of garden-based learning from sprouting seeds to understanding the food system.

Garden-Based Learning Program

The Garden-Based Learning Program is based in the Department of Horticulture at Cornell University. The Garden-Based Learning Program develops projects, activities, and other materials, as well as gardening content- and youth development-oriented support.

Great Kids Farm

Great Kids Farm is a living, working farm that educates Baltimore City school students about healthy eating, organic farming and the natural sciences and connects young people to the soil, plants and animals that provide their food.

Green Education Foundation

The Green Education Foundation (GEF) is a non-profit organization with a mission to provide educational resources that promote sustainable, impactful pro-green behaviors in children, families and communities. GEF programs provide a hands-on component coupled with standards-based lessons that promote environmental sustainability and individual health and well-being.

Growing Communities through Gardens

This planning and resource guide describes a community garden and its benefits, how to find or start a garden, and tips for growing, storing, preparing and enjoying fruits and vegetables.

Junior Master Gardener

Junior Master Gardener (JMG) is a 4-H youth development program of the Cooperative Extension System. JMG encourages youths to be of service to others through service learning and leadership development projects and engages children in novel, “hands-on” group and individual learning experiences that promote a love of gardening, develop an appreciation for the environment, and cultivate the mind. 

Kids Gardening

The Kids Gardening Web site from the National Gardening Association provides tips, garden activities and lessons, success stories and information about funding for developing school and community gardens.     

Michigan 4-H Children's Garden

The Michigan 4-H Children's Garden is a place where plants, children, and imaginations grow. As one of the horticultural gardens on the campus of Michigan State University, this garden features over 56 individual theme areas that create a place of wonder, enchantment and delight for people of any age. This Web site allows a visitor to experience any of the theme gardens and explore each one in virtual reality movies.

National Gardening Association

Programs and initiatives of the non-profit National Gardening Association (NGA) highlight the opportunities for plant-based education in schools, communities, and backyards across the country. NGA serves as a bridge to connect people to gardening in five core fields: plant-based education, health and wellness, environmental stewardship, community development, and responsible home gardening.

Natural Learning Initiative

The mission of the Natural Learning Initiative, based at North Carolina State University, is to help communities create stimulating places for play, learning, and environmental education.

N.C. Community Gardens

The North Carolina Community Garden Partners offers this site to help citizens find a community garden nearby, learn how to start a new garden or find resources to support an existing one.

N.C. Master Gardener Program^SM

The Master Gardener^SM program is an initiative of the North Carolina State University, Cooperative Extension Service. Trained Master Gardener^SM volunteers provide educational assistance and programs regarding horticulture and environmental issues.

Project Learning Tree

Project Learning Tree (PLT) is a pre-kindergarten through grade 12 environmental education program, developed by the American Forest Foundation, through which students learn environmental content (that correlates to national and state standards in science, social studies, language arts, math, and other subjects) and strengthen their critical thinking, team building, and problem solving skills. In North Carolina, PLT is sponsored by the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service and the N.C. Division of Forest Resources.

School Garden Wizard

School Garden Wizard has been created for America's K-12 school community through a partnership between the United States Botanic Garden and Chicago Botanic Garden.

SEEDS

SEEDS is a non-profit community garden whose goal is to teach people to care for the earth, themselves and each other through a variety of garden-based programs. SEEDlings, a free After School Program for grades 1-5, provides an educational environment with a focus on gardening, nature, exercise, and nutrition.  Durham Inner-city Gardeners (DIG) empowers teens by teaching organic gardening, healthy food choices and food security values.  The program emphasizes sustainable living and growing practices, ecological balance, and the natural recycling of organic materials for plant health and nourishment. 

Success with School Gardens

Success with School Gardens, from Arizona 4-H Youth Gardening, contains all of the information needed to plan, initiate and conduct a youth garden program.

The Edible Schoolyard

The Edible Schoolyard, in collaboration with Martin Luther King Junior Middle School, provides urban public school students with a one-acre organic garden and a kitchen classroom. Using food systems as a unifying concept, students learn how to grow, harvest, and prepare nutritious seasonal produce.

The Growing Connection

The Growing Connection engages children in the science of growing food, the experience of sharing their culture, and experiments using modern information technology. The Growing Connection program was developed for middle school students and is supported by the American Horticultural Society (AHS), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the United States Committee for FAO.

Eat Smart Get Moving

Developed by the School Nutrition Association and the School Nutrition Foundation, Eat Smart, Get Moving! encourages teams of school nutrition professionals to work toward eating the recommended daily servings from the ‘food groups to encourage’ and getting 60 minutes of physical activity per day.               

Eat Smart Move More Meal Planners and Activity Logs

Research shows that people who track what they eat and how much activity they get are more likely to achieve their goals toward eating smart and moving more. These forms can be downloaded onto a computer and printed, or used electronically.

Eat Smart Move More Motivational Posters

These graphically designed informational posters and motivational quotes can be displayed on bulletin boards or other areas in worksites, faith organizations, schools, and community buildings to encourage people to take the stairs, drink water, and make healthy snack choices.   

Eat Smart Move More Weigh Less

Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less is a weight-management program that uses strategies proven to work. Each lesson informs, empowers and motivates participants to live mindfully as they make choices about eating and physical activity. The program provides opportunities for participants to track their progress and keep a journal of healthy eating and physical activity behaviors. The program can be offered to worksites and other groups interested in eating smart, moving more and achieving a healthy weight.

Fruits and Vegetables Challenge

The Fruits and Vegetables Challenge is a fun way to encourage employees at your worksite to eat more fruits and vegetables every day. The Challenge is designed as a month-long event when participants compete to score points by eating more fruits and vegetables.  Step-by-step instructions and guidance on organizing the event, an announcement poster, sign-up sheet, quick tips sheet, log to track points, weekly newsletters, evaluation form and certificate of achievement are included.

Healthy Meeting Guide

The Eat Smart Healthy Meeting Guide provides healthy food and beverage suggestions for various event meals and snacks as well as practical tips for stocking vending machines. Additionally, the guide provides sample menus and suggestions for how to replace typical offerings with healthier options. The guide also provides a sample Eat Smart North Carolina Healthy Foods Policy that can be adapted and implemented by any organization, agency or community group where foods and beverages are served.

LEAN Works! Leading Employees to Activity and Nutrition

LEAN Works! Leading Employees to Activity and Nutrition from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a Web-based resource that offers interactive tools and evidence-based resources to design effective worksite obesity prevention and control programs, including an obesity cost calculator to estimate how much obesity is costing your company and how much savings your company could reap with different workplace interventions.

Move More Walking Map Guide

The Move More Walking Map Guide encourages the user to create routes in areas such as parking lots, neighborhoods, and around the outside or inside of large buildings. Tips for exploring other elements such as marked distances, varying lengths and destination points are also included. The guide then walks the user through the process of creating a map, directions for the route, and promotional activities that can increase awareness and use of the route.

N.C. HealthSmart School Worksite Wellness Toolkit

The North Carolina HealthSmart School Worksite Wellness Toolkit is a comprehensive collection of guidelines and ready-to-use materials to organize a worksite wellness committee and implement worksite wellness programs in schools. The toolkit is comprised of five workbooks - one on starting or enhancing an effective wellness committee and four resource books that address the main aspects of a healthy lifestyle: healthy eating, physical activity, tobacco cessation and stress management.     

N.C. HealthSmart Worksite Wellness Tool Kit

The North Carolina HealthSmart Worksite Wellness Tool Kit offers worksite wellness resources for state employees with step-by-step instructions for developing and planning a wellness program. The toolkit is comprised of five workbooks - one on starting or enhancing an effective wellness committee and four resource books that address the main aspects of a healthy lifestyle: healthy eating, physical activity, tobacco cessation and stress management.               

Saving Dollars and Making Sense Management Guide

Saving Dollars and Making Sense is an easy step-by-step guide that will help businesses implement a comprehensive workforce health promotion program and keep health costs under control. The guide provides management with tools to create an environment that supports staff members who choose to live a healthy lifestyle. The guide will also provide employees with the knowledge and skills they need to adopt healthy behaviors and take an active role in managing their healthcare.

Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger Hunt is a worksite wellness activity that encourages employees to find resources in the community to enhance their health and well-being and to share these resources with other co-workers. Examples of such resources can include a walking trail, a restaurant that serves healthy menu options, or a support group. Step-by-step instructions and guidance on organizing the activity, an announcement poster, sign-up sheet, activity log, weekly newsletters, evaluation form and certificate of achievement are included. 

Smart Fuel

Smart Fuel is a ten-week worksite wellness challenge to help employees eat smart using the following strategies: Enjoy More Fruits & Vegetables, Re-Think Your Drink, Enjoy More Whole Grains, Prepare More Meals at Home, and Right-Size Your Portions. Participants earn points for practicing these strategies each day during the ten weeks of the challenge. Worksite wellness committees can choose to implement this challenge for individual participants or teams.

Solving the Puzzle of Moving More

Solving the Puzzle of Moving More is a worksite wellness activity that encourages employees to be physically active. The activity is designed to be conducted over a five-week period. Step-by-step instructions and guidance on organizing the activity, an announcement poster, sign-up sheet, activity log to track points, weekly newsletters, crossword puzzle, evaluation form and certificate of achievement are included.

Stairwell Guide

Move More North Carolina: A Guide to Stairwell Initiatives is a useful planning tool that provides step-by-step guidelines for anyone interested in implementing a stairwell initiative. The guide also includes promotional signs and examples of stairwell initiatives in place across North Carolina.      

Stress-Less Challenge

Stress-Less Challenge is a worksite wellness activity that provides employees with the opportunity to practice and adopt a variety of strategies to reduce and manage stress. The activity is designed to be conducted over a four-week period. Step-by-step instructions and guidance on organizing the challenge, an announcement poster, sign-up sheet, log to track points, weekly newsletters, evaluation form and certificate of achievement are included.

Team Nutrition Power Panther Professionals

The purpose of Power Panther Professionals is to make school and child care center staff aware of the importance of enjoying healthy foods with particular emphasis on consumption of fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole grains. Participants will also learn to enjoy daily physical activity through this program and will be encouraged to become a healthy role model for students. Additionally, topics such as stress management and healthy aging are addressed.           

Ten-Minute Challenge

The Ten-Minute Challenge is a worksite wellness activity that encourages employees to practice health enhancing behaviors such as eating smart, moving more, quitting now and managing stress. Bi-weekly newsletters detail the benefits of practicing these healthy behaviors and give Ten-Minute Tips on how to fit these behaviors into our busy lives. Participants earn points each time they practice a Ten-Minute Tip.