School nutrition program directors, managers, and staff are required to complete a minimum amount of annual training hours to meet the USDA Professional Standards provision outlined in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA). These hours of training also translate into Continuing Education Units (CEUs), which can be used towards maintaining your Certificate in School Nutrition or SNS Credentials through SNA.
If you're looking to earn some CEUs this year, you've come to the right place! The School Nutrition Association, the Institute of Child Nutrition, and even we (Heartland) offer training classes to help you meet your training hour requirements.
Here's a comprehensive list of training resources to get you started:
School Nutrition Association (SNA)
Naturally, visiting the School Nutrition Association website is the one of the best places to start looking for ways to earn CEUs. You can choose from a number of online webinars, find training opportunities at upcoming SNA conferences/meetings, and more.
- Live Webinars
- On-demand Webinars
- Conferences & Meetings
- SNA Approved Core Courses
- Professional Development Articles (PDAs)
Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN)
The Institute of Child Nutrition, which is part of the University of Mississippi and federally funded through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), offers many free online training classes covering a wide range of topics for child nutrition professionals.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND)
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the world's largest organization of food and dietetics practitioners and offers many free and paid online training opportunities for it's members.
State School Nutrition Associations
Check your state's school nutrition association website for information on continuing education opportunities in your area. Some regional and local SNA chapters hold training sessions, workshops, seminars, or meetings at their annual conferences.
Nutrition Software Training
Attending events or online webinars that focus on software training, can be a great way to earn your CEUs and learn about all capabilities of your system. Check with your vendor to see what's offered and confirm that the courses are approved by the SNA.
Are you a WebSMARTT, NUTRIKIDS, or MCS user? Go to our training website page for more information about upcoming training events like our National User Training Conference in Arizona, MCS User Group Training in Colorado, and NUTRIKIDS Full-Day Workshops.
Other Training Resources
Attending events or online webinars that focus on software training, can be a great way to earn your CEUs and learn about all capabilities of your system. Check with your vendor to see what's offered and confirm that the courses are approved by the SNA.
- USDA Training Programs
- Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals (ANFP)
- School District (back to school workshops and trainings)
- Universities and Colleges
- Industry and Allied Organizations
As always, be sure to keep up-to-date with School Nutrition Association's requirements whenever you have questions about your professional development and Continuing Education Units.
