Our year-end campaign is still in effect. Please
donate today to support Real Food for Kids in our work to change the quality and culture of school food. Whether it's a fistful of greens or small potatoes, your donation means a better plate for the kids on our lunch lines. Thank you.
 
RFFK NEWS
December 2016

"It's the most special thing!"
FCPS Welcomes Three New Schools to the Salad Bar Community 

 
Aldrin, Riverside and White Oaks elementary schools joined the FCPS salad bar community with their openings in November and December. Food services staff worked tirelessly on the first days to ensure trays of fresh fruits and veggies were kept full to satisfy hungry students eager to try their favorite foods or something new and different.  More...
"We're going to take your five-year old and teach them how to be a lifelong healthy eater."

Rodney Taylor, Food and Nutrition Services Director, Fairfax County Public Schools speaking at the December FCPS Sustainability Team Stakeholder Meeting.
 
Q & A with Suzie Bae
Real Food for Kids Student Representative
...and Blogger
 
Suzie Bae, a senior at Thomas Jefferson HS, is an advocate for healthy school food. In addition to serving as a representative to the 10th Congressional District Young Women Leadership Program and member of Youth Leadership of Greater Washington, Bae is also a MUN Senator, NHS Vice President, Korean school tutor and Hanley Family Shelter volunteer. She recently joined the board of Real Food for Kids as a student rep. Her blog, https://rffkstudentrep.wordpress.com/ 
launched last month. Read the interview... 

Real Food for Kids Advocacy Training
 
Do You Want to be a Better Healthy School Advocate? Join Real Food for Kids this coming February for Healthy School Advocacy Training. Turn your concerns into an action plan. Learn how to work with your administration and other parents, get ideas for healthy celebrations and fundraisers, and discover what resources are available to support you in reaching your goals. Details and registration information will be announced in our January issue.
 
More In This Issue

SAVE THE DATE ! 
Real Food for Kids 
Culinary Challenge 
& 
Wellness Expo 2017

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
Chantilly Academy 
Edison Academy 
Franklin MS  
Glasgow MS
Irving MS
Lake Braddock SS 
Marshall Academy 
Sandburg MS
South County MS
West Potomac HS

 
 
Upcoming RFFK Meetings

Real Food for Kids monthly meetings are open to anyone interested in learning more about our ongoing work in the county, getting your school involved, or becoming one of our valued volunteers. Please join us.

December 15
Fairfax County Mount Vernon District Office, Room 1
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Location

January 19
Fairfax County Hunter Mill District Office, Room A
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Location

Questions? Contact Us.
Decoding Yogurt
Richard Xiao
Real Food for Kids Intern
George Mason University, School of Nutrition and Food Studies

It's time to get the scoop on yogurt (yoghurt if you're international). It's healthy, right? But what about all that sugar? Doesn't that make it less healthy than it should be?
Let's start with the basics.
 
First, what is yogurt exactly? It's a fermented milk product made with cultured bacteria (usually lactobacillus) that converts the naturally-occurring sugar lactose into lactic acid. That's what gives it its distinct texture and flavor. And that bacteria is good for a health digestive system.
 
Second, the naturally-occurring sugars in yogurt are lactose, glucose and galactose, but those won't be broken out in the ingredient list. Instead you'll see them listed as grams of "sugars." Those sugars translate to carbohydrates. For example, a label might read:
 
WELL FED: The Gift You Give Yourself
Ways to make the upcoming holidays less stressful
 
When the holiday decorations go up and gift sale flyers start arriving before Halloween, the surge in holiday stress won't be far behind. I'm always amazed at how quickly a few simple plans can mushroom overnight and how our stress level balloons when we try to orchestrate it all. I'm one of those "leave-nothing-to-chance" planners so I'm often on overdrive. But part of my "plan" is also strategic self-preservation, which is what most of us abandon in our super-charged effort to make the most of the season.
 
You know you can't effectively manage anything or anyone else in your life unless you are coping well. So here are a few ideas that might help.