Team Nutrition is an initiative of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. Its mission is to promote lifelong healthy food choices and physical activity by improving the nutrition practices of the USDA child nutrition programs. Team Nutrition work to provide resources to schools, childcare settings, and summer meal sites that participate in these programs.
Team Nutrition uses three strategies to change behavior:
- Provide training and technical assistance to child nutrition professionals to enable them to prepare and serve nutritious meals that appeal to children.
- Increase nutrition education through multiple communication channels to help children have the knowledge, skills, and motivation to make healthy food and physical activity choices as part of a healthy lifestyle.
- Build support for healthy school and childcare environments that encourage nutritious food choices and physically active lifestyles.
Team Nutrition Training Grants have been a cornerstone of the Team Nutrition initiative since its inception in 1995, and play an important role in helping state agencies deliver training and nutrition education that supports the USDA child nutrition programs.
Master the Menu - Incentivized Training - Registration Now Open!
North Dakota was awarded a Team Nutrition Grant for School Nutrition Professional Readiness and Retention. This grant supports building and retaining a strong school nutrition workforce empowered to provide nutritious meals that meet National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) meal requirements and weekly dietary specifications.
North Dakota selected the “Incentivized Training” Track. This means that upon selection and completion of our training program, attendees will receive an incentive bonus!
Training begins May 31, 2023, and runs through the 2023-2024 SY, but the goal is early completion.
This grant offers two tracks:
- 8-Hour Track: Meal Pattern Breakdown
- Geared towards all Food Service Staff
- Receive a $100 bonus if completed within 6 months
- Registration will be open until training has reached 650 participants
- More information can be found HERE
- 40-Hour Track: A Manager’s View
- Geared toward Managers or Directors that are relatively new to School Nutrition
- Receive a $500 bonus if completed within 6 months.
- Approval by NDDPI to participate as only 50 spots total! A few spots remain so fill out the registration form ASAP!
- NDDPI will review registration and reach out to you by Mid-May if you have been chosen to participate in the 40-hour Track, with this track running from May 31 2023-November 30, 2023.
- More information can be found HERE.
This training is optional but encouraged!
Training will be offered in-person and virtually; check out the Master the Menu Course Guide for more information HERE.
Sub-grants will also be available in two categories:
- Support purchasing equipment based on post-training implementation. Information can be hour HERE.
- Provide support to the District for personnel expenses paid during participation in training. Information can be found HERE.
If you have questions about this training program, please reach out to Amy Nelson, Project Director, at amylnelson@nd.gov or Emily Karel, Project Coordinator, at ekarel@nd.gov
A link to register can be found HERE or by scanning the QR Code below:
This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
USDA FNS Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Compl…, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
1. mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email: program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.