School Guidance and Best Practices to the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP)

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Program Goals Creating healthier school environments by: Expanding the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience; Increasing children’s fruit and vegetable consumption; and Making a difference in children’s diets to positively impact their health.

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices How To Be Successful

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Form a Team Program Coordinator Food Service Manager School Nurses/Teachers Guidance Counselor Custodians Parents/Parent-Teacher Association Student Government

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Process Coordinate Planning (menu, budget, etc.) Ordering Deliveries Storage in schools Methods of distribution Clean up Claim submission

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Potential Job Duties of FFVP Team Principal – oversee the FFVP team, ensure program guidelines are met, promote the FFVP throughout the school, ensure teachers are providing nutrition education Cafeteria Manager – order fruits, vegetable, and supplies, manage teacher requests, oversee the budget at site level, prepare and deliver snacks Custodial staff – manage trash disposal and supplies School nurse – provide nutrition education materials to food service staff and teachers, provide connections for learning between teacher lesson plans and FFVP Teachers – provide nutrition education in the classroom, act as a role model by modeling healthy behaviors Media Specialist – conduct newscasts and coordinate information in school news letter Parent Involvement Specialist/PTA – act as a liaison between parents and school, solicit parent volunteers in snack preparation and delivery

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Rollout of FFVP in Schools Suggest special event to introduce the program Promote to staff at district meeting Publicize through school or district media Provide parents with information by setting up an FFVP table at Open House *FFVP funds cannot be used for these events.

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Fruits & Vegetables

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Eligibility (page10) Who can participate? All children who are enrolled at the school Only teachers serving the produce to the students Who cannot participate? General teacher population and school staff Community residents *FFVP cannot be used for gifts and rewards, and cannot be withheld as part of a discipline procedure.

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Best Times to Serve (page 12) Any time during the school day, except during breakfast and lunch. Serve once a day or during multiple times with some students served in the morning and some in the afternoon. When determining distribution, consider:  grade level and maturity of students  Available time (including preparation and serving)  extra clean-up  garbage concerns  staffing issues

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Best Places to Serve (pages12-13) Classrooms Hallways During nutrition education activities Outside Cafeteria (except breakfast & lunch) *Most successful distribution areas are places where children can easily consume the fruits/vegetables.

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Delivery Morning counts are sent in and produce is prepared Produce is delivered to the classroom and distributed to the students Containers are returned to the cafeteria for sanitation and next-day preparation

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Unallowable items (pages 14-15) Processed, canned, and frozen fruits and vegetables Dried fruits or vegetables (trail mixes) Excess amounts of dips Regular dressings, peanut butter, hummus Fruit or vegetables juices and smoothies Fruit that has added flavorings Fruit strips, drops, and fruit leather Spices/seasonings

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices FFVP Limits-Dips (page 15) Vegetables:  Offer only low-fat, yogurt-based, or other low-fat and fat-free dressings  1-2 tbs. low-fat dips or dressings Fruit: No dips of any kind allowed Note: Fresh vegetables can be cooked but should be limited to only once each week

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Serving Guidelines (page 16) Serve 2 or more times per week No specific portion size is required - consider the age of students Suggestion: provide ½ cup for portioned or prebagged items Serve different varieties of the same fruit Try “sample sizes” to introduce new items Serve student favorites, but continue to introduce new items Make the offerings appealing and easy to grab

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Purchasing (page 17-19) Follow proper state/local purchasing procedures Purchase from local grocery stores, growers, and farmers’ markets Support Farm-to-School projects Buy Florida produce when able Buy American when applicable

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Leftovers Students can receive extra items if requested Portion sizes may be increased if there are always leftovers FFVP providers may participate in the FFVP tasting Provide a share table for leftovers after distribution during lunch for free at least once a week Leftovers cannot be taken home by anyone.

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Nutrition Education

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices

Lessons (pages 20-21) Lesson can be given during a time that all students participate and can receive the nutrition education for the FFVP. Nutrition Education should be given, even on days FFVP is not offered Consult with FFVP partners to obtain no-cost promotional items. Make teachers and administrators aware of resources like:  

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Ideas (pages 20-21) Poster contests to decorate serving line and classrooms Featured fruit or vegetable of the day on serving lines Staff dressed up as a fruit or vegetable AM/PM announcements Send menus to teachers and parents FFVP featured in the school newsletter

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Additional Ideas Science/Math Experiments Weighing/Measuring Nutrition Facts Graphing (likes and dislikes) Health/Fitness Activities Gardening/Composting Geography English Story Problems Internet Reading Writing Projects Language Other Art Projects Recipe book Trivia Physical Activities

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Best Practices

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Suggestions… Promotion and Nutrition Education Provide a display in the Main Office for parents and visitors Decorate your serving line with nutrition facts and information Fruit/Veggie mascots Maintain a display of FFVP nutrition information throughout the school year Decorate your line with nutrition facts and information Mapping of the fruit/vegetable (color, taste, texture, location, etc.) “My Favorite Healthy Snack” writing prompt

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Resources

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Resources USDA FFVP Handbook Tips for Administering the Program Florida Harvesting Calendar Production Record booklet FFVP Q&As You may print these materials by downloading them from our website at: FDACS, FNW - FFVP webpage Additional Resources: USDA FFVP website MyPlate Materials Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition Education

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices FFVP Handbook

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Share Your Success Keep copies of s, letters, etc. Take pictures during the implementation of the program. Use the media. Post to your school web page for parents and the community to see. Incorporate the FFVP into your district/school wellness policy. Share your stories and pictures with us!!

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Contact Information Program Questions Aimee Ashley (850) Claim Questions Amy Campbell-Smith (850)

FFVP – School Guidance & Best Practices Thank you!