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General News BRIEFS GOURMET NEWS APRIL 2015 www.gourmetnews.com GENERAL NEWS 2 There is no one food, drink, pill or machine that is the key to achieving optimal health. A person's overall daily routine is what is most important. That is why, as part of Na- tional Nutrition Month ® 2015, the Acad- emy of Nutrition and Dietetics urged everyone to "Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle" in March. Each March, the Academy encourages Americans to return to the basics of health- ful eating through National Nutrition Month. This year's theme encouraged con- sumers to adopt a healthy lifestyle focused on consuming fewer calories, making in- formed food choices and getting daily ex- ercise in order to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of chronic disease and promote overall health. "A healthy lifestyle – one based on regu- lar physical activity and an eating pattern chosen to meet individual nutrient needs within calorie limits – is vital to maintain- ing good health and quality of life," said Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Acad- emy President Sonja Connor. "This year's 'Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle' theme gives consumers an easy reminder that achieving optimal health is not about a specific food or time or year, but rather a lifelong com- mitment that leaves plenty of time for the foods and activities we love." The Academy strives to communicate healthful eating messages that emphasize balancing food and beverages within an in- dividual's energy needs, rather than focus- ing on any one specific food or meal. To this end, it is the Academy's position that improving overall health requires a lifelong commitment to healthful lifestyle behav- iors, emphasizing sustainable and enjoy- able eating practices and daily physical activity. "The key is determining the lifestyle balance that provides the body what it needs, while still allowing room for the foods and activities we enjoy most," Con- nor said. "This is where the expertise of registered dietitian nutritionists plays such a key role. RDNs work with consumers to find balance and create sustainable eating and physical activity plans that fit their tastes and routines." Initiated in 1973 as a week-long event, "National Nutrition Week" became a month-long observance in 1980 in re- sponse to growing public interest in nu- trition. To commemorate the dedication of reg- istered dietitian nutritionists as the leading advocates for advancing the nutritional sta- tus of Americans and people around the world, the second Wednesday of each March is celebrated as "Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day." This year Registered Di- etitian Nutritionist Day was celebrated on March 11. As part of this public education cam- paign, the Academy's National Nutrition Month website includes a variety of helpful tips, games, promotional tools and educa- tional resources, all designed to spread the message of good nutrition based on the "Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle" theme. All registered dietitians are nutritionists – but not all nutritionists are registered di- etitians. The Academy's Board of Directors and Commission on Dietetic Registration have determined that those who hold the credential registered dietitian (RD) may op- tionally use "registered dietitian nutrition- ist" (RDN) instead. The two credentials have identical meanings. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The Academy is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of di- etetics through research, education and ad- vocacy. Visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at www.eatright.org. GN Dietitians Urge Americans to Adopt Healthy, Achievable Long-Term Lifestyle Changes Fuel Up to Play 60, the nation's largest in- school health and wellness program, in conjunction with National School Breakfast Week (March 2-6), launched Fuel Great- ness, in an effort to elevate the conversation around good nutrition and physical activity to help ensure a healthy, high-achieving generation of youth. The program focuses on increasing accessibility and participa- tion in school breakfast to ensure kids start their day with the fuel they need to help them succeed. Research shows that improved nutrition, including daily breakfast, and increased physical activity can lead to improved aca- demic performance. Eating breakfast at school can help kids be more attentive, be- have better and achieve higher test scores, but millions of kids aren't eating this im- portant meal. In a recent national survey, No Kid Hungry's annual 'Hunger in Our Schools' report identified that more than three quarters (76 percent) of educators say that their students come to school hungry. The Food Research and Action Center's (FRAC) School Breakfast Scorecard, pub- lished recently, noted that 13.2 million chil- dren ate school breakfast each day during the 2013-14 school year, and while partic- ipation is increasing, traditional school breakfast programs often encounter a vari- ety of challenges (tight morning schedul- ing, cafeteria capacity, and fear of students being stigmatized). In order to increase par- ticipation and access, many schools are having success with alternative breakfast models. Options like Grab and Go, Break- fast in the Classroom and Second Chance Breakfast can help boost participation by moving breakfast to a time and location that is often more convenient for students. Teachers are also seeing the benefits, with 75 percent of teachers saying that breakfast in the classroom was a positive experience for their students. Fuel Up to Play 60 is playing a key role in helping schools improve or expand their breakfast programs, placing an emphasis on sustainable alternative breakfast options. Schools can access resources and apply for funds that can be used to purchase items such as coolers, carts, insulated bags or Grab and Go kiosks. The following are a few of many examples of schools across the country that are implementing new ways to encourage students to eat breakfast: All Schools in West Virginia are implementing universal school breakfast via alternative breakfast models by the end of 2015. The state saw one of the nation's greatest per- centage increases in school breakfast partic- ipation among low-income children in the 2013-14 school year with an 11.2 percent increase over the previous year, and educa- tors are observing less tardiness, less ab- sences and more attentive students. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in Char- lotte, North Carolina, the 18th largest school district in the country, took a bold step for the 2013-14 school year by offering free breakfast to all students via quick and sim- ple programs such as Grab and Go, and Breakfast in the Classroom. More than 7,000 students now start their day with school breakfast and report feeling better prepared and focused on their studies. The Woodall District in Tahlequah, Oklahoma served 5,760 more breakfasts during the 2013-14 school year than in the previous year by of- fering Breakfast in the Classroom, and teach- ers loved that students were able to enjoy breakfast and start their day off right without cutting into instructional time. "Mobilizing communities to advocate for and implement alternative breakfast models in schools nationwide requires collabora- tion at the local and national level," said Jean Ragalie-Carr, RDN, LDN, President, National Dairy Council. "Fuel Up to Play 60 is making an impact on school breakfast participation through the unwavering sup- port from America's dairy farmers and dairy importers, many powerful partners, and dedicated students, educators, parents and community leaders working together to take action to help youth fuel greatness." GN Schools Offering Breakfast to Millions of U.S. Students Amy's Debuts Nine New Items at Expo West 2015 Amy's introduced nine delicious new items at Natural Products Expo West. Amy's founders, Rachel and Andy Berliner, are known for their passion to feed all people, including those with special dietary needs. Amy's launched three new hearty, delicious bowls. Amy's 3 Cheese & Kale Bake is a perfectly balanced bowl of organic rice pasta, nutrient rich kale and a creamy cheese sauce of Monterey Jack and Cheddar. Amy's Chili Mac combines organic rice pasta with red beans and a cheese and tomato sauce. It's seasoned with a kick of mild chiles, as well as a hint of smoked paprika. Both the 3 Cheese & Kale Bake and the Chili Mac are additions to the Amy's gluten-free line of foods. Amy's Harvest Casserole Bowl is Amy's newest vegan bowl. This delicious dish combines organic roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, kale, chard, red beans and Amy's homemade tofu, with a crispy sprinkling of toasted pumpkin seeds. Amy's chefs have also just created a new vegan and gluten-free soup: Amy's Organic Quinoa, Kale and Red Lentil, loaded with whole food ingredients and flavorfully spiced with cilantro, ginger, chiles and turmeric. The chefs at Amy's challenged themselves to find a way to turn pesto pizza into a dairy-free and gluten- free version, and they succeeded with Amy's Gluten Free Dairy Free Rice Crust Pesto. A light and tender rice crust is topped with Amy's homemade pesto, garden-fresh tomato slices and broccoli florets. The pizza is topped with Daiya™ shredded mozzarella-style cheese alternative, which is free of cholesterol, lactose and other common allergens – but full of flavor. Amy's new Spinach Rice Crust Pizza with Mozzarella and Feta is agluten-free version of Amy's popular spinach pizza. It's Amy's tender and light gluten free crust with a blend of feta cheese, basil and organic spinach topped with a sprinkling of part-skim mozzarella cheese. In addition, Amy's launched a new vegan and gluten-free burrito, the Amy's Black Bean & Quinoa Burrito. The crepe-like tortilla wrap is made from a well-balanced blend of organic, gluten free flours and makes the perfect hand- held, on-the-go meal. Amy's Organic Candy Bites: Crispy and Chewy, both gluten free, are now available in the perfect bite size mini-bar. They're just right for a small bite of something sweet, or for a special treat for your child's lunch or after- school snack. Made with organic ingredients— and without GMOs and high fructose corn syrup. For more information, visit www.amys.com. Attune Foods Debuts Breakfast and Snack Items Attune Foods, LLC, makers of granola, cereal and snacks, unveiled eight new products from its various brands at this year's Natural Product's Expo West. The company's umbrella of brands include Attune ® brand Probiotic Chocolate Bars, Erewhon ® cereals, Uncle Sam ® cereals, Peace Cereal ® , Sweet Home Farm ® home-style granolas, Willamette Valley Organic Granola Company and Golden Temple bulk granolas. For more information on Attune Foods visit www.attunefoods.com.