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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
RFFK Executive Director
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DONATE NOW
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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!
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Contact the Editor
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newsletter@realfoodforkids.org
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Check Us Out
on Social Media
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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
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2016 Culinary Challenge & Wellness Expo
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Fun Foods from Student Chefs
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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
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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.
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Aviva Goldfarb shares tips on meal planning (Photo by Sean Hickey) |
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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!
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Watch the 2016 Culinary Challenge & Wellness Expo |
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Real Food For Kids Hosts
Powerful Panel Discussion
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Amy Maclosky, Rodney Taylor, and Dr. Becky Bays at the Panel |
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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.
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
.
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