School Nutrition

School foodservice professionals are studying hard to develop fun, creative school meals that contain more whole grains, says the School Nutrition Association’s (SNA) 2012 Back to School Trends Report.

 According to SNA’s survey, all respondents reported serving whole-grain rich items in their school cafeterias. Whole-grain breads, rolls, and buns are a universal favorite, while over 80% of districts offer whole-grain pastas, rice and cereals. Seventy eight percent report serving whole-grain tortillas, pitas or flatbreads.Read more

Healthy eating habits start early, according to a new study by University of Wisconsin professors Susan Nitzke and Dave Riley. Nitzke and Riley’s research, Rethinking Nutrition: Connecting Science and Practice in Early Childhood Settings, found that children begin developing food and nutrition preferences in child care. Read more…

Summer always goes too fast. Back-to-school advertisements  fill me with mixed emotions: I like the routine, I dread the monotony. A quick calculation tells me we've made more than 4,500 school lunches. Monotonous? With a modicum of imagination, no.Read more

Does it seem that at every turn someone new is following the gluten-free diet? It is true that many people are following the gluten-free diet as a fad. But for those with celiac disease (CD) or non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), the gluten-free diet is a medical requirement.

To read the complete article, available on the Bean Institute website, click here.

Wheat has long been a major contributor of nutrients to the American diet through consumption of bread, rolls, cereal and pasta.

Grains contribute more than 70 percent of the folic acid/folate; 50 percent of the iron and 39 to 60 percent of the three major B vitamins, and many other nutrients.Read more

The trans fats content of new food products shows a marked decline from 2005 to 2010, along with an increase in the use of “no trans fats” claims on product packages, according to a report by the Economic Research Service (ERS) of the US Department of Agriculture. Read more

Fresh from the oven is the ultimate California raisin bread competition, honoring professional and up-and-coming bakers across the country. The California Raisin Marketing Board's (CRMB) fifth annual America's Best Raisin Bread Contest is now open and all industry professionals and student bakers are encouraged to enter their most mouth-watering masterpieces in one or all of the three categories of this competition: Artisan, Commercial and Breakfa

All eligible contestants are:Read more