Thursday, February 3, 2011

PRESS RELEASE: Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools, New Haven Style!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2/3/11


CONGRESSWOMAN DELAURO, USDA OFFICIAL & NFL PLAYER JOIN NEW HAVEN STUDENTS TO UNVEIL NEW SALAD BAR

District Launches Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools!



New Haven, CT New Haven Public Schools is launching Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools! Today at 11:00am at Mauro-Sheridan Science, Technology and Communications School, 191 Fountain Street in New Haven. This new program will give students access to an unlimited selection of fresh salad ingredients during lunch each day.



Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, US Department of Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary Dr. Janey Thornton and New England Patriots Defensive Lineman Ron Brace will speak with students and administrators about the importance of healthy eating and join students for a trip through the salad bar.



School administrators and guests will also be on hand to discuss other wellness efforts, such as Healthier US School Challenge and Fuel Up to Play 60, the schools are using to complement Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools!



“The Let’s Move Initiative has been great for New Haven and great for America’s kids, and Chef Tim has transformed the way kids eat in our New Haven schools. He has made their menus healthier and more organic, introduced kids to new and exciting foods, and pushed to make sure everyone has enough to eat. Kids consume roughly 35-50% of their daily calories during the school day, so the salad bars we are celebrating today play a critical role in improving nutrition and fighting the epidemic of obesity afflicting our nation," said Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. "Nothing is as important as helping our children get the food they need to thrive, and these salad bars will help ensure they will.”



“Let’s Move! Salad Bars to Schools provides students an opportunity to prepare and consume their own fresh salad every day, which translates into a win-win for our children’s health and wellbeing,” said Janey Thornton, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. “We thank all of our vital partners who contributed and look forward to the thousands of schools that will benefit from similar nutritious options in the coming years.”



“Salad Bars are one of the best ways to increase a child’s access to fresh vegetables,” said Chef Timothy Cipriano, Executive Director, New Haven School Food. “We are actively seeking support from local companies and organizations to increase the number of salad bars in our schools. In season, these salad bars will be chock full of both student grown & locally grown vegetables supporting our Farm to School Program. Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools is the perfect way to celebrate healthy kids and the First Anniversary of Let’s Move!”





Additional Information

Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools! is a public health initiative working to provide at least 6,000 salad bars to schools in the next three years. New Haven Public Schools has been awarded two salad bars as a result of this program thanks to NatureSeal and the United Fresh Produce Association Foundation. For more information on the national Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools!, visit www.saladbars2schools.org.



Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by National Dairy Council and Nation Football League, in collaboration with United States Department of Agriculture. The program encourages youth to fuel up with nutrient-rich foods and be active for at least 60 minutes every day. Fuel Up to Play 60 is in over 70,000 schools nationwide, including 850 schools in Connecticut. For more information, visit www.FuelUptoPlay60.com.



Ron Brace’s appearance was scheduled by NFL PLAYERS, the marketing and licensing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association.

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