Clinton County School T.A.B.L.E. (Team Adirondack Breakfast and Lunch Educators)

Serving nutritious meals and snacks, providing nutrition education, and advocating for school nutrition policies and physical activity programs in our schools creates a crucial link to physical and intellectual fitness for our children. The School T.A.B.L.E. is a unique group in our state working together to "promote healthy eating patterns in our youth through education and the provision of nutritious meals in our cafeteria classrooms."

Members include representatives from the Clinton County Health Department and school food service/nutrition managers. All food service/nutrition managers from both public and private schools in Clinton County are invited and encouraged to participate in the organization. Meetings are held monthly through the school year.

Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act

In January of 2012, the USDA released updated nutritional guidelines for school meals. The guidelines reflect the most up to date recommendations for healthy eating and aim to increase the nutritional quality of school meals throughout the country. School meals now feature more fruits and vegetables, more whole grains and less sodium and fat. Schools began to implement the guidelines in stages over the past 3 years, beginning in the 2012-2013 school year. National guidelines for snacks and beverages sold outside the lunch line were finalized and released by the USDA in the Fall of 2013.

The work our local districts have done through T.A.B.L.E. and other Health Department programs have put our schools ahead of the curve in serving nutritious meals and snacks to our students.

Goals for the School Year

• Coordinate a school foodservice workshop for local cafeteria staff.
• Submit one article highlighting the group’s work to the New York School Nutrition Association’s publication FOCUS on School Nutrition.
• Work towards getting 100% of local school food service mangers ServSafe certified, exploring local opportunities and working with community partners to support the certification process.
• Collaborate with school nutrition professionals and public health partners to promote the changes being seen on a local level in accordance with the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 to students, families and the community at large