Recently I did some housekeeping on The Lunch Tray by dividing up my “blog roll” (the long list of links down and to the right) by topic, so if readers are specifically looking for help with family dinner or need sources for food policy information, they’ll know right where to go.
Within the important new category of “School Food Reform Resources for Parents,” there are two sites in particular that I want to be sure you know about.
The first of these is Parents, Educators, and Advocates Connection for Healthy School Food, aka PEACHSF.org. That site is the brainchild of San Francisco school food reformer Dana Woldow, who generously shares with readers all she’s learned after ten years of working to improve school meals in her area. I described that site in detail here when it debuted in early 2011.
Today I want to highlight the second of my favorite school food reform sites, Rudd ‘Roots Parents.
Created by the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, Rudd ‘Roots was designed not only to help parents navigate the complex world of school food but also to link grassroots efforts around the country. The site is truly comprehensive, not only covering all aspects of school food reform (including competitive food) but also related topics such as drafting a solid wellness policy, starting a school garden, or dealing with teachers who hand out candy rewards. For each of these topics the site provides helpful worksheets to get you ready to make change, checklists to monitor your progress, studies and resources to rely upon in defense of your position and local success stories that instruct and inspire.
The site was already a wonderful resource but I was excited to learn that it was getting a makeover this summer. Here are some of the new features launched this fall:
- A new message board which allows parents to gather information, ask questions, share experiences, and stay informed.
- A Meatless Monday section describing the benefits of meat-free meals and ways to encourage a school or district to join the movement.
- Media Resources to offer multimedia tools to help parents, including free access to Yale Rudd Center podcasts on everything from soda taxes to hunger in America.
- Two new videos introducing ‘Rudd Roots and explaining how to use the site: Change School Food and Use Your Voice.
I had the pleasure of meeting with many folks at the Yale Rudd Center when I happened to be in New Haven last May. I was so impressed by the commitment of this team to fighting for the kid/food causes most TLT readers care deeply about, and by their willingness to help parents in any way they can.
I hope you’ll keep both of these sites in mind as you tackle food issues in your own area, and please spread the word about them with likeminded friends.
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