Pew Health Expert: Jessica Donze Black

''Bipartisan Bill Would Pay for School Kitchen Upgrades, Equipment''

Jessica Donze Black, director of the Pew Kids' Safe & Healthful Foods Project, speaks with Education Week about a bipartisan bill that would provide money for school kitchen upgrades.

''Pre-Ordering School Lunches Steer Kids To Healthier Meal Choices''

Jessica Donze Black, project director for Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project, is featured in Time magazine article about healthy school lunches.

''Latham Renews Quest to Upgrade School Kitchens''

"Recent changes to the federal school lunch program require more fresh fruits and vegetables to be served, but many schools in Iowa and across the country lack the fridge space needed to store large quantities of fresh produce, the Republican lawmaker said."

Pew Applauds Reps. Latham and McIntyre for Leadership to Make School Foods Healthier

Jessica Donze Black, Pew’s expert on childhood nutrition, issued the following statement on the School Food Modernization Act.

When It Comes to Healthy Snacks, Many Schools Do Not Make the Grade

A new report finds that in all but one state, fewer than half of secondary schools sold fruit or vegetables as snacks in 2010.

''Let Them Eat Veggies: School Lunch Gets a Makeover''

''School lunches are getting an extreme makeover. Gone are fried tater tots, chicken nuggets, chocolate milk, and pepperoni pizza. In their place are heaps of whole grains, veggies, fruits, and low-fat dairy products, along with baked versions of formerly fried favorites such as chicken nuggets or fish sticks."

New Federal Guidelines Impact School Cafeterias

"In school cafeterias across the country, students are seeing big changes on their lunch trays. Responding to the growing childhood obesity epidemic, the USDA approved new rules for the federal school lunch program, the first such changes to student lunches in more than a decade."

Expert Discusses Changes to School Lunch Programs

Jessica Donze Black of the Kids' Safe and Healthful Foods Project recently appeared on C-SPAN to talk about recent changes to the operating costs of school lunch programs. Topics included the history of the program, the role of the Agriculture Department, qualifications for participants, and nutritional requirements.

''Don’t Forget Your (Kid’s!) Lunch''

"It’s back-to-school time! School supplies? Check! Medical forms completed? Check! Clothes for the first day? Check! School lunch?. . ."

Virtual Back to School Night: The School Day Just Got Healthier!

The Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project along with the National PTA will host a live webcast dialogue on September 13 at 8 p.m. EST examining changes to school lunches this year as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) updated nutrition standards for schools.

''Report: Cutting School Junk Food Boosts Kids’ Health, Doesn’t Hurt School Budgets''

"A new report from the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation concludes that getting rid of junk food at school boosts kids’ health and doesn’t hurt schools financially. Even many snack food companies are on board."

''Group recommends raising nutrition standards in schools''

"'The evidence is clear and compelling,' said Jessica Donze Black, director of the Kids’ Safe & Healthful Foods Project in a press release. 'Implementing strong national nutrition standards to make the snacks and beverages our children consume healthier is something that schools and districts can afford. The USDA should do all it can to finalize and help implement strong standards.'"

Collaboration Examines Impact of Updated USDA Standards

Pew and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation collaborate to examine impact of updated USDA standards for snack and a la carte foods and beverages sold in schools.

''New school nutrition standards on horizon''

"A recent study has reaffirmed what local school officials already knew: Student health and school budgets can both benefit from higher nutrition standards."

''Health assessment calls for USDA nutrition standards in schools''

"The Health Impact Project, released Tuesday by the Kids’ Safe & Healthful Foods Project, was conducted to examine how the agency’s new policies will affect student nutrition and how new dietary standards would affect school revenues."

''Better School Nutrition Good for Students and Budgets''

"The Health Impact Project released an assessment making the case that “strong nutrition standards could have a significant positive impact on the health of students” and that such standards implemented by the Agriculture Department 'can be made with little to no negative financial impact and in fact may even result in improved financial outcomes for schools and districts.'"

''Report: School Nutrition Standards Could Improve Health and Finances''

"Stronger school nutrition standards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) could improve student health and provide a financial boon for school districts, according to a new health impact assessment (HIA) released Tuesday by the Health Impact Project and the Kids' Safe and Healthful Food Project."

''Study: Higher nutrition standard for snacks a win-win for schools''

"Replacing a candy bar with an apple could have a big effect, according to the 172-page health assessment released by the Kids’ Safe & Healthful Foods Project and the Health Impact Project"

''Nutrition, finances win with healthful school snacks, report says''

"An assessment of what those new rules might do for kids’ health and the schools’ bottom line was released Tuesday by two projects from the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation."

''Report: Healthy Vending, A La Carte Foods Won't Hurt School Revenue''

"The Kids' Safe & Healthful Foods Project and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation teamed up to analyze the effects of changing the makeup of so-called 'competitive foods' sold at school."

''National Nutrition Standards Will Benefit Student Health, School Budgets: Study''

"The report, by the Kids’ Safe & Healthful Foods Project and the Health Impact Project, found that improved nutritional standards for snack foods and beverages would reduce consumption of these products during the school day."

Health Impact Assessment: National Nutrition Standards for Snack and a la Carte Foods and Beverages Sold in Schools

Updating national nutrition standards for snack foods and beverages sold in schools could help students maintain a healthy weight and increase food service revenue, according to a health impact assessment by the Kids’ Safe & Healthful Foods Project and the Health Impact Project.

Watch a video examining the impact of updated USDA standards for snack and a la carte foods and beverages.

School Budgets, Student Health to Benefit From Higher Nutrition Standards

Updating national nutrition standards for snack foods and beverages sold in schools could help students maintain a healthy weight and increase food service revenue, according to a health impact assessment (HIA) released today by the Kids’ Safe & Healthful Foods Project and the Health Impact Project.

''Government urged to fight fat at school''

"A coalition of health advocacy groups on Wednesday urged the government to put more resources into school-based efforts to improve health and fight obesity among youth.

The recommendations by the Healthy Schools Campaign and Trust for America's Health were backed by more than 70 groups including the American Cancer Society and the National Education Association."

''Think carrots, not candy as school snack, group suggests''

"Junk food may soon be hard to buy at American public schools as the U.S. government readies new rules requiring healthier foods to be sold beyond the cafeteria - a move most parents support, according to a poll released on Thursday."

A Step Forward for Food Safety in School Meals

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) took a step toward improving school food safety and reducing students’ risk of foodborne illness when top officials signed a new agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Expert Profile: Jessica Donze Black

Jessica Donze Black, Project Director, Kids' Safe and Healthful Foods Project

USDA Finalizes Healthy School Meal Standards

“We applaud the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for issuing final guidance to help schools across the country serve healthier meals to students. The updated nutrition standards for school meals are now in line with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the federal government’s evidence-based guidance to promote health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases and decrease the prevalence of obesity."

''New Rules for School Meals Aim at Reducing Obesity''

"'We applaud the U.S. Department of Agriculture for issuing final guidance to help schools across the country serve healthier meals to students,' said Jessica Donze Black, project director for the Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project, a joint project of the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 'The updated nutrition standards for school meals are now in line with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans.'"

Pew School Foods Project Statement on Department of Agriculture Funding Bill

“We are disappointed that the final Agriculture Appropriations bill now includes provisions that could undermine the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) proposal to establish science-based nutrition standards for school meals," said Jessica Donze Black, project director for the Pew Health Group’s School Foods Project, in a statement.

Helping School Meals Make the Grade

The National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs provide meals to tens of millions of children each day, accounting for up to one-half of those students’ daily calories. However, more than 90 percent of schools serve meals that do not even meet the minimum national school meal standards.

Replacing Deep Fat Fryers

The Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project conducted a pilot survey among food service directors in three states (Georgia, Kentucky and Wisconsin), finding that schools lack the resources and equipment to provide healthy school food to students.

Changing the Menu in Chicago

In an effort to improve the quality of foods served in its schools, CPS debuted new breakfast and lunch menus in the 2010-2011 school year which are now among the healthiest in the country.

Tools to Improve School Meals

The meals schools serve to students are an important source of nutrients kids need to grow, learn and succeed. Yet many schools don’t have the necessary tools to prepare safe and healthy meals.

Serving Up School Meals that Make the Grade

The nutrition standards for school meals have not been updated for more than 15 years. In 2009, the Institute of Medicine, the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences set forth recommendations for making school meals healthier.