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In this Issue


welcometorffk
Welcome to 
Real Food For Kids!

I'm excited that hundreds of people attended our recent 2016 Culinary Challenge & Wellness Expo and signed up for our newsletter! 

April Meeting
Join us at our next meeting: 
April 21, 2016
12:30 - 1:30 pm
North County 
Government Center
1801 Cameron Glen Drive
RESTON
We'll be serving samples of our latest smoothie recipe--and you can guess the ingredients before getting the recipe. F eel free to bring a bag lunch. 

Double Your Impact
Powerful events like the Expo can only happen with the generous support of donors like you. Right now, every dollar you donate will be matched 100% by The Sampson Foundation. But time is running out!  Please consider donating by May 1st to help us continue to provide our educational events. 

Get Involved
Now is a gre at time to get involved! I hope to see you at our monthly meetings and events. We have a number of great volunteer opportunities available and we welcome your time and talents to help us continue this important work. 

Together we can make a real  difference in our children's health!

Jenny Hein


Jenny Hein

RFFK Executive Director

DONATE NOW
DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT TODAY
Thanks to a generous grant from  The Sampson Foundation 
every dollar donated will be matched 
up to $50,000!
We urgently need to raise $30,000 in the coming weeks to take full advantage of the Sampson match. Please consider donating today and help us to spread the word! 

Contact the Editor
newsletter@realfoodforkids.org
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Everyone has their take on healthy eating, and this year's CDC theme focuses on mindful eating. The way to savor the flavor is to e at healthy throughout life.  

Easy suggestions include using smaller plates and eating healthy foods with 4 ingredients or less. 

The CDC reports 69% of American adults are overweight and  suggest these new  dietary guidelines:            
  • Focus on variety, nutrient density, and amount
  • Limit calories from added sugars, sodium, and saturated fats
  • Shift to healthier foods and beverages
  • Support healthy eating patterns
2016 Culinary Challenge & Wellness Expo
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EXPO
 
funfoodsfromstudentchefsFun Foods from Student Chefs
Marshall Academy Chefs with Rodney Taylor FCPS FNS Director
Hundreds munched on food samples at the Culinary Challenge and Wellness Expo  on March 12 along with some famous judges who are Top Chef contenders. 

School teams were challenged to create a delicious &  nutritious v ersion of a typical school  lunch entree.  Marshall Academy's winning entr y was a Thai-Inspired Chicken Wrap served with a soba noodle-vegetable salad Chantilly took second place with its Asian and  Mexican Fish Tacos and tied for third place were  Edison's Orange Beef and South Lak es' Orange Chicken.

Franklin, Sandburg, Irving, Stone, and Glasgow Middle Schools presented in the snack category while Henderson MS and West Potomac HS made grab-and-go breakfasts. "We could use these ideas," said FCPS Food Service and Nutrition Director  Rodney Taylor, who was a competition judge and workshop presenter along with Dr. Becky Bays, LCPS Director  

Aviva Goldfarb shares tips on meal planning (Photo by Sean Hickey)
Expert-led workshops were from  
The  Washington  Post
Deputy Food Editor to celebrity cookbook writers, to gardeners, and  farmers. During the farm-to-table presentation for children, the red hen laid an egg!

Prizes were drawn for dinner at e arls  in Tysons, classes at  Culinaria Cooking School,  and $500 shopping spree at Williams-Sonoma. Event sponsor, Wusthof, presented knives to student culinary participants.  The expo was inspiring, fun, and delicious!
Video
Watch the 2016 Culinary Challenge & Wellness Expo
powerfulpaneldiscussion
Real Food For Kids Hosts 
Powerful Panel Discussion
Amy Maclosky, Rodney Taylor, and Dr. Becky Bays at the Panel

It was a day to remember, and one with a lot of promise. On Saturday, March 12, top food and nutrition directors from Northern Virginia gathered at Robinson Secondary School to discuss important changes coming to school food in Fairfax and Loudoun County schools. 

Fairfax Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) Director Rodney Taylor spoke about his desire to have more students participate in the county's many breakfast programs to help enhance academic outcomes. "We have to make sure our kids are well fed and ready to learn," said Taylor, "Ultimately, I believe breakfast in the classroom is the model we know works." He also spoke about plans to add salad bars with fresh, local produce.
 
Farm-to-School Focus
Amy Maclosky, Arlington FNS Director, gave an overview of the successful Farm-to-School program she has spearheaded for several years: "We all thought no one would eat cabbage. But the kids were happy to eat it!" At the same time, Loudoun County's FNS Director, Dr. Becky Bays, expressed her desire to work with more local farmers to bring fresh, affordable whole foods to the school lunch program.  The group discussed the need to develop solutions to the economic, regulatory, and logistical barriers to engage farmers to participate in the program.
 
Several school board members from Fairfax and Loudoun Counties were in attendance along with legislative representatives, area FNS Directors, industry and agricultural specialists as well as parent advocates.  The breakfast was part of the annual 2016 Culinary Challenge & Wellness Expo hosted by Real Food For Kids and sponsored by Family and Consumer Sciences. 

"I truly enjoyed the opportunity to participate in the dynamic discussion about the importance of breakfast in educating our children at the Real Food for Kids Culinary Competition and Wellness Expo and to explore with likeminded innovative directors and stakeholders from throughout Virginia ways of offering breakfast after the bell. What a great and spirited conversation by all in attendance," said Rodney Taylor.
inthenews
In the News
The 2016 Culinary Challenge & Wellness Expo wa s featured in  The Fairfax Times and many of the  Connection Newspapers, inc luding the Alexandria  Gazette. To read the articles,  please click  on the publication logos below .
DISCLAIMER:  RFFK and its editors do not assume any responsibility for any errors or results of any actions based upon information in the newsletters, including links to outside websites.