September 2011
Back to School
Welcome to the inaugural issue of CFSAN's new bi-monthly education newsletter. News for Educators covers topics for educators from FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, including food safety, nutrition, and cosmetics updates.
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Food Safety for Back-to-School
September is National Food Safety Education Month. As an educator, it's an ideal time for you to reinforce safe food handling and preparation practices. 1 in 6 Americans will get sick from food poisoning this year — and children are among those who are especially at risk. |
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Follow the Four Steps to Food Safety.
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Clean: Wash hands, utensils and surfaces often |
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Separate: Separate raw meats from other foods |
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Cook: Cook to the right temperatures using a food thermometer |
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Chill: Refrigerate foods promptly |
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Online Resource:
Food Safety Month is also a great time to integrate this important topic into the science classroom. Do you or your colleagues work with middle and/or high school students? If so, check out FDA's Science and Our Food Supply - a FREE supplementary curriculum that addresses food safety from the farm to the table! |
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Helping Families Use the Nutrition Facts Label
Back-to-school season means kids are eating in the cafeteria, carrying lunchboxes, and scouting for after-school snacks. Help parents help their kids learn about the Nutrition Facts Label (the "block") with these key messages from FDA's Spot the Block Campaign:
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Check out the serving size. One package may contain more than one serving. |
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Consider the calories. 400 or more calories per serving of a single food is high. |
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Choose nutrients wisely and pick foods that are lower in certain fats, cholesterol and sodium. |
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Online Resource:
Give parents a handy reference to talk to their kids about the Nutrition Facts Label when packing lunch, eating at the cafeteria, visiting fast food restaurants, and shopping. Download Spot the Block tips for distribution today! |
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Tattoos: Important Info to Share with Parents
As young people experiment with fads and making their own personal statements, parents in your community may be finding themselves discussing tattoos with their teens. As an educator, you can help prepare parents to talk to their children about this topic by alerting them to the risks:
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Dirty needles can pass infections, including serious illnesses like hepatitis and HIV. |
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Lumps or bumps may form around the tattoo color. |
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In rare situations, tattoos can cause an allergic reaction - for example, to an ink used in tattoos or permanent make-up. |
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Upcoming Events
American Academy of
Family Physicians
September 15–17, 2011
Orlando, FL
International Dairy Food
Association
September 19–21, 2011
Atlanta, GA
American Dietetic Association
Food & Nutrition Conference
September 24–27, 2011
San Diego, CA
Fresh Summit
October 14–17, 2011
Atlanta, GA
National Association of
Biology Teachers Annual
Conference
October 12–15, 2011
Anaheim, CA
National Science Teachers
Association Regional
Conference
October 27–29, 2011
Hartford, CT
American Public Health
Association Annual
Conference
October 29 - November 1, 2011
Washington, DC
National Science Teachers
Association Regional
Conference
November 10–12, 2011
New Orleans, LA
National Middle School
Teachers Association Annual
Conference
November 10–12, 2011
Louisville, KY
National Science Teachers
Association Regional
Conference
December 8–10, 2011
Seattle, WA
American Alliance for
Health, Physical Education,
Recreation & Dance Annual
Conference
March 14–16, 2012
Boston, MA
National Science Teachers
Association National
Conference
March 29–April 1, 2012
Indianapolis, IN
National School Boards
Association Annual
Conference
April 21–23, 2012
Boston, MA
American Association of
Family and Consumer
Sciences Teachers
June 23–25, 2012
Indianapolis, IN
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