The following post was written by Barry Sackin of Sackin & Associates. 

What is Child Nutrition Reauthorization?

This June will mark the 70^th anniversary of the National School Lunch Act (NSLA), now named after Sen. Richard B. Russell from Georgia who is considered to be the father of the legislation.  When it was first enacted, the NSLA was what is called a “grant-in-aid” for states to develop and support school lunch programs.  Over the years, this approach has been replaced by the program we know today.  The way it has made the changes is through regular reauthorizations, or legislation that amends the law.  There have been almost two dozen reauthorizations over the past 70 years, as well as changes enacted in legislation between the regular schedule.

Trading high-calorie or high fat-ingredients for lower-calorie or lower-fat ingredients is a great way to make your favorite recipes healthier, without sacrificing flavor.

This month's FitFuture Parent Newsletter provides a list of quick and easy ingredient substitutions parents can make to just about any recipe for a guilt-free family meal.

Heartland’s own Pete Belknap, National Account Manager, shares his experience of the 2016 School Nutrition Industry Conference.

Are you looking for school recipes that are both nutritious and kid-approved?  The Recipes for Healthy Kids Cookbook, launched in September of 2013 as part of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign, features a collection of healthy and flavorful recipes selected from the Recipes for Healthy Kids Competition back in 2010.

MySchoolBucks has been recognized by District Administration magazine as a 2015 Readers' Choice Top Product. Superintendents, senior school leaders, and their colleagues selected these best-in-class products based on the innovation they provide throughout the K-12 industry.

From all of us at Heartland School Solutions, we'd like to wish you a happy and safe holiday season!

And with 2016 right around the corner, let's take a look at the most popular Connections blogs posts from this year:

This year beautiful San Diego, CA will be host to the 2016 School Nutrition Industry Conference (SNIC), January 16-19, 2016.  Each year hundreds of school nutrition professionals and their industry partners gather together at SNIC (formerly CNIC) to network and collaborate.  With the business of school nutrition and the children they serve as the primary focus, attendees take this opportunity to look to the future.    

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Thanksgiving is the perfect time for a school community to come together and celebrate the spirit of the holiday with one another. How are you celebrating Thanksgiving in your district this year?

If you need a little inspiration, below are a few activities you can do with your staff and students to help you get into the spirit of the holiday.

Whether it's festivities at school or birthday parties at home, celebrations tend to offer foods that may undermine healthy eating habits for kids. But with some creative party planning you can take steps to make celebrations healthier.

Check out this month's FitFuture Parent Newsletter for a few tips on how to make celebrations healthier at school and at home:

Convenience, simplicity, and security are just a few of the benefits of accepting online donations for your school fundraising efforts. But how else does collecting school donations online benefit you, your volunteers, and your donors?

Here are the top 6 benefits of collecting school donations online: