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CSDE Training Program: Complying with Healthy Food Certification  |   HFC Resources

CSDE Training Program: Complying with Healthy Food Certification

The CSDE's Complying with Healthy Food Certification training program is a series of recorded modules that provide guidance on how to meet the requirements for Healthy Food Certification (HFC) under Section 10-215f of the Connecticut General Statutes and the related state and federal laws for competitive foods in schools.

Target audience: This training program is intended for the district’s designated HFC contact person and individuals who coordinate sales of competitive foods to students on school premises. Examples include school food service staff and coordinators of food and beverage sales such as fundraiser coordinators, school store operators, vending machine operators, teachers and other school staff, athletic directors, and leaders of student organizations and parent groups.

Knowledge check and score: After viewing each module, participants will complete a brief knowledge check that will display a score after all questions are complete. Participants should print their knowledge check score to document participation in these training modules. Maintain these documents on file with other HFC documentation for the CSDE's annual HFC documentation review.

Accessing the videos: The training module videos are housed in Qualtrics. To view the videos, click on the module, then enter the required contact information (name and title, email, school/district, city/town, and state).

Professional development training hours: School nutrition personnel in HFC public schools may use the CSDE's Complying with Healthy Food Certification training program to count toward the annual training hours required by the USDA’s Professional Standards for School Nutrition Program Professionals. For more information, refer to the CSDE’s Professional Standards Topics and Training Hours for the Complying with Healthy Food Certification Training Modules.

Module	Resources
Module 1: Introduction to Training and HFC  (length: 29:44) Introduces the training modules, provides an overview of HFC and the Connecticut Nutrition Standards (CNS), and highlights key resources for more information.	Handout of Slides for Module 1 Resource List for Module 1
Module 2: HFC Requirements  (length: 56:12) Reviews the HFC requirements including when the CNS applies to different sources of food sales and the exemption criteria for noncompliant foods. Includes a knowledge check about when the CNS applies to different sources of foods available in schools. Before beginning this module, download and print the Module 2 worksheet.	Handout of Slides for Module 2 Resource List for Module 2 Module 2 Worksheet: Test Your HFC IQ  Answer Key for Module 2: Worksheet: Test Your HFC IQ
Module 3: Connecticut Nutrition Standards (CNS)  (length: 1:06:06) Reviews the Connecticut Nutrition Standards for the six food categories including the CNS general nutrition standards, nutrient standards, and prohibited ingredients. Includes knowledge checks about the CNS entree definition and the food group general standard. Before beginning this module, download and print the Module 3 worksheets.	Handout of Slides for Module 3 Resource List for Module 3 Module 3 Worksheet: Is it an Entree?  Answer Key for Module 3 Worksheet: Is it an Entree? Module 3 Worksheet: Food Group General Standard  Answer Key for Module 3 Worksheet: Food Group General Standard
Module 4: Evaluating Foods for CNS Compliance  (length: 45:15) Explains how to evaluate foods for CNS compliance, including commercial products and foods made from scratch, and identifies compliance strategies to ensure that all foods comply with the CNS.	Handout of Slides for Module 4 Resource List for Module 4
Module 5: Laws for Foods and Beverages in HFC Schools (length: 1:06:07) Reviews the federal and state laws that apply to foods and beverages in HFC schools, including the USDA’s Smart Snacks beverage standards, the state beverage statute, the state statute requiring nutritious and low-fat foods, and the state competitive foods regulations. Includes a knowledge check about when the laws apply. Before beginning this module, download and print the Module 5 worksheet.	Handout of Slides for Module 5 Resource List for Module 5 Module 5 Worksheet: What Laws Apply Answer Key for Module 5 Worksheet: What Laws Apply
Module 6: Fundraisers  (length: 1:25:44) Addresses the three categories of allowable fundraisers that may sell foods and beverages to students on school premises, identifies the requirements for different types of fundraisers and provides guidance on how they can comply with these requirements, describes compliance strategies that districts can use to ensure that all fundraisers meet the state and federal laws for HFC schools, and includes a knowledge check about allowable fundraisers. Before beginning this module, download and print the Module 6 worksheet.	Handout of Slides for Module 6 Resource List for Module 6 Module 6 Worksheet: Fundraisers Answer Key for Module 6 Worksheet: Fundraisers

HFC Resources

Adult Education  |   Beverages  |   Competitive Foods  |   Cafeteria A La Carte Sales
CNS  |   Culinary Programs  |   Fundraisers  |   HFC Requirements
List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages  |   School Stores  |   Vending Machines

• Adult Education Programs
  • Requirements for Selling Foods and Beverages in Adult Education Programs (CSDE)
• Beverages
  • Allowable Beverages for Connecticut Public Schools (CSDE)
  • Beverage Requirements (CSDE webpage)
• Cafeteria A La Carte Sales
  • Requirements for Cafeteria A La Carte Foods and Beverages in HFC Public Schools (CSDE)
• Competitive Foods in Schools
  • Competitive Food in Schools (CSDE webpage)
  • Connecticut Competitive Foods Regulations
    • CSDE Operational Memorandum No. 1-18: Accrual of Income from Sales of Competitive Foods in Schools 
    • Overview of Connecticut Competitive Foods Regulations (CSDE)
    • Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies (Sections 10-215b-1 and 10-215b-23)
• Connecticut Nutrition Standards
  • Connecticut Nutrition Standards (CSDE webpage)
  • Evaluating Foods for Compliance "How To" section of CSDE's CNS webpage)
  • Guidance on Evaluating Recipes for Compliance with the CNS (CSDE)
  • How to Evaluate Foods Made from Scratch for Compliance with the CNS (CSDE)
  • How to Evaluate Purchased Foods for Compliance with the CNS (CSDE)
• Culinary Programs
  • CSDE Operational Memorandum No. 31-14: Federal and State Requirements for Culinary Education Programs: Smart Snacks versus Connecticut Nutrition Standards
  • Requirements for Foods and Beverages in Culinary Programs in HFC Public Schools (CSDE)
• Fundraisers
  • Healthy Fundraisers (CSDE)
  •  Requirements for Food and Beverage Fundraisers in HFC Public Schools (CSDE)
  • Sample Fundraiser Form for HFC (CSDE)
• HFC Requirements
  • Ensuring District Compliance with HFC (CSDE)
  • Q&A on Connecticut Statutes for School Foods and Beverages (CSDE)
  • Requirements for Competitive Foods in HFC Public Schools (CSDE)
  • Responsibilities of District Contact Person for HFC (CSDE)
  • Summary Chart: Federal and State Requirements for Competitive Foods in HFC Public Schools (CSDE)
• List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages
  • List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages (CSDE webpage)
  • List of Vendor Contact Information (CSDE)
  • Submitting Food and Beverage Products for Approval: Connecticut’s List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages (CSDE)
• School Stores
  • Requirements for Foods and Beverages in School Stores in HFC Public Schools (CSDE)
• Vending Machines
  • CSDE Operational Memorandum No. 01-18: Accrual of Income from Sales of Competitive Foods in Schools
  • Requirements for Foods and Beverages in Vending Machines in HFC Public Schools (CSDE)