CHICAGO (July 5, 2023) — As part of a cooperative agreement to implement the USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative, Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) has launched the Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Awards to celebrate school food authorities (SFA) that have made significant improvements to the nutritional quality of their school meals.

The Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Awards will spotlight innovative practices, student and community engagement activities, and strategies that SFAs have used to provide meals that are consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. SFAs can apply for one or more of the following Recognition Awards categories:

• Breakfast Trailblazer
• Small and/or Rural SFA Breakfast Trailblazer
• Lunch Trailblazer
• Small and/or Rural SFA Lunch Trailblazer
• Innovative School Lunch Makeover
• Innovation in the Cultural Diversity of School Meals
• Innovation in the Preparation of School Meals
• Innovation in Nutrition Education

The Recognition Awards application can be found at: www.healthymealsincentives.org. SFAs are eligible to apply for the Recognition Awards if they participate in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program in all 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, or the United States Virgin Islands. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis over a two-year application period ending June 30, 2025.

“Action for Healthy Kids is excited to partner with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service to showcase innovative school nutrition practices that provide children with access to nutritional school meals,” said Rob Bisceglie, CEO of AFHK. “School meals are a powerful tool to help kids get the nutrition they need. We are committed to working with the USDA and school nutrition professionals to ensure that school meals continue to provide the very best for our nation’s children.”

SFAs meeting Recognition Award criteria will receive national and local recognition, as well as an awardee toolkit that includes digital assets and travel stipends to attend a national Healthy Meals Summit. In addition, FNS and Action for Healthy Kids will highlight and share diverse best practices from Recognition Awardees nationwide through traditional and social media, stakeholder engagement, training and technical assistance activities, and Healthy Meals Summits.

“Supporting school nutrition professionals in providing tasty and nutritious meals is one of America’s best opportunities to improve child health,” said Cindy Long, administrator of USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service. “Each school day, USDA school meal programs reach around 30 million children from all communities and backgrounds across the country. The Recognition Awards will highlight the remarkable achievements schools are making in offering nutritious meals that students enjoy.” Long added that the awards program will also encourage the sharing of best practices, so other schools can follow their success in meal quality.

USDA’s Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. The National Strategy provides a roadmap of actions the federal government will take to end hunger and reduce diet-related diseases by 2030 – all while reducing disparities.

ABOUT ACTION FOR HEALTHY KIDS

Action for Healthy Kids is dedicated to improving children’s health and well-being by bringing together and mobilizing educators, families, and other key stakeholders to help children lead healthy lives. Through its core programming and family-school partnerships, Action for Healthy Kids has impacted more than 20 million children in 55,000 schools nationwide to address systemic challenges in underserved communities. To learn more about its growing network of volunteers and champions, visit: actionforhealthykids.org