Nutrition Education Programs

Contact Number: 314-345-4519

Nutrition Education Programs: Health and Wellness education is implemented throughout the district in order to provide students with many opportunities to learn how to optimize personal wellness.

Program: Health and Wellness Policy

Description: The purpose of the Health and Wellness Policy is to provide the framework for schools and the district to promote good health. The policy is comprised of eight key areas that encourage wellness, address current health issues facing Saint Louis Public School students and staff, and provide a safe and healthy learning and work environment. The goals include health and wellness education, physical education and physical activity, health services, a healthy school learning environment, nutrition services, health promotion, family and community involvement, and a target use of resources to support wellness.

Program: Monthly Newsletter/Webpage

Description: Through the Food and Nutrition Services Department, parents and staff receive SFE’s monthly newsletter. This newsletter includes information on nutrition and wellness, healthy recipes (including vegetarian and vegan options), and any developments in SLPS programming in order for parents and staff to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in food services. Food and Nutrition Services also provides a webpage for parents and staff to review information on Food and Nutrition Services and health and wellness.

Program: Farm-to-School

Description: Under the farm-to-school program, the Food and Nutrition Services Department offers various programs and partnerships that support healthy eating. The Food and Nutrition Services Department also purchases and distributes affordable, locally-grown produce throughout the school district during the fall and spring seasons. We work with a produce broker and several farms within a 150 mile radius of the St. Louis area to expand our menus to include produce such as zucchini, eggplant, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, kale, onions, peppers, a variety of squash (yellow, butternut, acorn, and spaghetti), spinach, apples, peaches, watermelon, etc.

Program: Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

Description: The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program provides children with free fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the school day. This program creates a healthier school environment by promoting healthy eating habits, providing healthier food choices and increasing children’s fruit and vegetable consumption. There are 43 elementary schools in the program. Through this program, our schools have implemented nutrition education lessons which are incorporated as part of the school day. The purpose of the nutrition education lesson is to educate the students to live a healthy lifestyle.

Program: After School Snack

Description: The National School Lunch Program offers cash reimbursement to help schools serve snacks to children in afterschool activities aimed at promoting the health and well-being of children and youth in our communities. A school must provide children with regularly scheduled activities in an organized, structured and supervised environment; include educational or enrichment activities (e.g., mentoring or tutoring programs). Competitive interscholastic sports teams are not an eligible afterschool program. The programs must meet State/local licensing requirements, if available, or State/local health and safety standards. All programs that meet the eligibility requirements can participate in the National School Lunch Program and receive USDA reimbursement for afterschool snacks.  Afterschool snacks must contain at least two different components of the following four: a serving of fluid milk; a serving of meat or meat alternate; a serving of vegetables or fruits or full strength vegetable or fruit juice; a serving of whole grain or enriched bread or cereal.