Eight Iowa schools have received national awards to recognize their work in providing healthy school meals through the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.
Through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Action for Healthy Kids, the Healthy Meals Incentives (HMI) Recognition Awards honor School Food Authorities (SFA) across the country that have made operational changes to improve the nutritional quality of their school meals or engage students and families in nutrition education and planning and preparation of school meals.
The HMI Recognition Awards are split into two series: Trailblazer Award Series and Innovation Award Series. The Trailblazer Awards highlight schools that have implemented gradual changes to their school menus to better align with the 2020-25 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It focuses on reducing sodium in school lunch or added sugars in school breakfast. The Innovation Awards spotlight unique approaches that are not traditionally used in schools and feature best practices for including students with preparation and planning. These awards focus on exceptional school programs that are exceeding school nutrition standards.
Iowa’s outstanding HMI awardees include:
Bettendorf Community School District
● Innovation in the Preparation of School Meals
● Innovative School Lunch Makeover
Clear Lake Community School District
● Small and/or Rural SFA Lunch Trailblazer
● Innovation in the Cultural Diversity of Meals
Decorah Community School District
● Innovation School Lunch Makeover
● Innovation in the Preparation of School Meals
● Breakfast Trailblazer
Des Moines Public Schools
● Innovation in Nutrition Education
● Breakfast Trailblazer
Eastern Allamakee Community School District
● Innovation in the Preparation of School Meals
North Polk Community School District
● Small and/or Rural SFA Breakfast Trailblazer
Trinity Lutheran School, Cedar Rapids
● Breakfast Trailblazer
● Innovative School Lunch Makeover Award
● Innovation in the Preparation of School Meals
● Small and/or Rural SFA Lunch Trailblazer
● Innovation in Nutrition Education
Urbandale Community School District
● Lunch Trailblazer
● Innovation in Nutrition Education
● Innovative School Lunch Makeover Award
● Breakfast Trailblazer
“Iowa school nutrition programs are doing outstanding work to provide our students with school meals that are both nutritious and delicious,” said Christine Crow, nutrition education consultant and Team Nutrition director. “Through their innovative menus and commitment to nutrition education, these awardees are demonstrating how food and education are working together in schools across the state. We congratulate all of Iowa’s HMI awardees.”
In addition to the HMI awards, Bettendorf, Clear Lake, Decorah and Urbandale school districts were awarded grants through the HMI Grants for Small and/or Rural SFAs. Through the grant opportunity, schools could receive up to $150,000 to support their efforts in improving nutrition quality of meals, offering professional development and modernizing operations.
The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service established the Healthy Meals Incentives (HMI) to improve the nutrition quality of school meals through food systems transformation, School Food Authority recognition and technical assistance, grant opportunities and sharing innovative ideas and evidence-based practices.
For more information on Iowa’s school nutrition programs, visit the Department’s website.