USDA’s Fruit and Vegetable Program

1. USDA’s Fruit and Vegetable Program

2. Congratulations! • Clinton Central Elementary School was one of 76 schools in the state of Indiana to be chosen to participate in this USDA funded program. • The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program provides all children in participating schools with a variety of free fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the school day. It is an effective and creative way of introducing fresh fruits and vegetables as healthy snack options.

3. Who Gets to Participate? - All students enrolled at Clinton Central Elementary. • All teachers and administrators employed at Clinton Central Elementary.

4. A Few Rules to Follow - The FFVP is not intended for community residents or for adults who are attending school functions. - Free fruits and vegetables are intended for all children and cannot be used as gifts or rewards. You cannot withhold them or use them to discipline children. - The FFVP cannot be used to replace foods that are part of the reimbursable school meal.

5. How Can the Fruits and Vegetables Be Used? • The FREE fresh fruits and vegetables must be served during the school day in order to provide the opportunity to incorporate a nutrition lesson along with the service of produce. • Ideas of how teachers will incorporate these fruits and vegetables. • While studying atoms. • Grapes to make atom forms • While studying plants. • Looking at seeds • Tops and Bottoms

6. Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Resources • http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/ • Fruit and Vegetable Challenge, http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/fvchallengepacket.html • Fruit and Vegetables Galore, http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/fv_galore.html • Fruits and Veggies – More Matters, http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/ • http://www.mypyramid.gov/ • http://www.doe.state.in.us/food/FFVP • http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/FFVP/Resources/FFVPhandbook • http://www.harvestofthemonth.com • http://www.jmgkids.us/ • http://www.csgn.org

7. When and Where will the Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Be Served? • The fresh fruits and vegetables will be served in your classroom at a time that you feel will be most beneficial to you and your students. • Maybe after your specials time. • Upper grades – morning, Lower grades – afternoon • During a time when they will be incorporated into a lesson

8. Why Serve it in Your Classroom? • Offering fruits and vegetables to children in their classrooms helps you reduce messes, deal more effectively with disruptive behavior, and make the most of learning time. • To minimize interruptions during learning time, find ways to balance eating with classroom activities, such as silent reading or a nutrition education lesson.

9. FFVP Procedures • To help our school’s FFVP run smoothly, you can develop procedures to remind children of good manners for when they receive and eat their fruit and vegetable snacks and dispose of their trash. • Setting up procedures on trash disposal and clean up will also improve the fruit and vegetable service.

10. Parent Notification • School Newsletter • Student/Parent FFVP Night • Flyers • Posters • Brochures • Parent-teacher conferences • PTA/PTO meeting

11. How will you be affected? • Create lessons that incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables • Serve and distribute fresh fruits and vegetables • Create procedures for serving and distribution

12. How Can You Help Make This Program Successful? • Plan fresh fruits and vegetables into your lessons • Be willing to work out the kinks • Express and share things that are working or are not working • Assist with the FFVP Parent/Student Night • Ask questions • Have an open mind!