Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Awards for School Food Authorities

As part of a cooperative agreement to develop and implement the USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative, Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) is offering Recognition Awards to celebrate School Food Authorities (SFA) that have made significant improvements to the nutritional quality of their school meals. The Recognition Awards will spotlight innovative practices, student and community engagement activities, and strategies schools have used to provide meals that are consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

 

Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Award winners – which will include all SFAs who meet award criteria – will receive a travel stipend to attend an exclusive national Healthy Meals Summit in the heart of Las Vegas, NV. Winners will also receive national and local recognition, as well as an awardee toolkit that includes digital assets with promotional resources. Action for Healthy Kids will highlight and share diverse best practices nationwide from Recognition Awardees through traditional and social media, stakeholder engagement, training and technical assistance activities, and Healthy Meals Summits.

Application Portal

The Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Awards application portal is now open.

Go to portal

Key Dates

June 30, 2023 – Recognition Awards application opens

September 21, 2023 – Recognition Award Webinar – Watch Now or Download Slides

December 13, 2023 – Recognition Award Webinar – Watch Now
June 30, 2025 – Recognition Awards application closes

For questions or support, email: awards@healthymealsincentives.org 

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis over the two-year application period.

Application Review Process and Timeline

Recognition Award applications are reviewed by the HMI Team on a rolling basis. Applications can be submitted at any time during the application period of June 30th, 2023, through June 30th, 2025, on the MyAFHK Portal. Award criteria and instructions on how to apply can be downloaded here and viewed by scrolling down on this screen.

Applicants will receive notifications regarding their award status via email from the address awards@healthymealsincentives.org after a period of two calendar months from the end of the month in which they submitted their application. For instance, applications submitted in November 2024 will receive notification of their award status by January 31st, 2025.

For questions or to request technical assistance with a Recognition Awards application, please contact awards@healthymealsincentives.org.

Recognition Award Categories

SFAs are eligible to apply for the Recognition Awards if they participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and/or School Breakfast Program (SBP) in the contiguous United States, Hawaii, Alaska, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, or the United States Virgin Islands.

Breakfast Trailblazer

School breakfast can be the foundation to student success. The Breakfast Trailblazer fuels a student’s day by providing a nutritious breakfast with limited added sugars. Download Award Criteria

Small and/or Rural SFA Breakfast Trailblazer

School breakfast can be the foundation to student success. The Small and/or Rural SFA Breakfast Trailblazer improves the nutritional quality of their school breakfast menus meeting at least four (4) specific criteria. Download Award Criteria

Lunch Trailblazer

Small changes in your menu can shake up big flavors and get you to your target. The Lunch Trailblazer provides school lunches that meet Healthy Meals Incentives weekly sodium limits and implements student engagement techniques. Download Award Criteria

Small and/or Rural SFA Lunch Trailblazer

Small changes in your menu can shake up big flavors and get you to your target. The Small and/or Rural Lunch Trailblazer improves the nutritional quality of their school lunch menus meeting at least four (4) specific criteria. Download Award Criteria

Innovative School Lunch Makeover

The Innovative School Lunch Makeover improves the nutritional quality of a popular school lunch meal for at least one grade group, while maintaining student acceptance. The makeover meal must meet all meal pattern requirements. Download Award Criteria

Innovation in the Cultural Diversity of School Meals

Innovation in the Cultural Diversity of School Meals entails collaborating with students and/or the community to offer nutritious school meal menu options that reflect the cultures of students, while meeting weekly meal pattern requirements. Download Award Criteria

Innovation in the Preparation of School Meals

Innovation in the Preparation of School Meals entails the implementation of meal service of at least three (3) new menu items (entrées or sides) prepared from scratch using a local agricultural product or USDA food.  Download Award Criteria

Innovation in Nutrition Education

Innovation in Nutrition Education involves the implementation of nutrition education activities that make classroom, cafeteria, community, and home connections for students and parents/guardians.  Download Award Criteria

Recognition Award Resources

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Download Recognition Awards Criteria

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HMI Letter of Support- State Agency

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Download Recognition Awards FAQs

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Photos courtesy of Chef Ann Foundation

This material is based upon work that is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.