Life Time Foundation Launches Groundbreaking Solution to Support Healthier School Meals Nationwide
Complimentary Green Onion digital resource uniquely helps school food professionals remove unhealthy ingredients
CHANHASSEN, Minn., July 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Life Time Foundation, the 501(c)(3) charitable arm of Life Time (NYSE: LTH), today announced its nationwide launch of a groundbreaking, complimentary digital resource, Green Onion, which is designed to help all school districts, purchasing cooperatives and food distributors analyze their K-12 food products to identify, remove and replace unhealthy ingredients and create positive, sustainable nutritional changes.
"Green Onion is one of the most practical, impactful tools for improving school food that I have seen in my 36-year career in school nutrition," said Katie Wilson, Ph.D., Executive Director for the Urban School Food Alliance (USFA), a collaborative of the largest school districts in the United States. Committed to improving the quality of food served in schools and increasing access to healthy, delicious meals for all students, the USFA represents 4.2 million students at 6,461 schools across 18 districts, including the four largest in the nation: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami.
Green Onion offers an easy-to-use, comprehensive solution that informs school food professionals of ingredients of concern highlighted in the Ingredient Guide for Better School Food Purchasing and provides better product alternatives. The software also allows users to make more educated procurement decisions and track their progress towards the elimination of unwanted ingredients.
The Ingredient Guide for Better School Food Purchasing is a science-based resource created by school nutrition professionals in partnership with the Center for Science in the Public Interest. It provides resources for school food leaders and manufacturers who are committed to improving the overall nutritional quality and safety of food provided to students, while decreasing barriers for manufacturers interested in removing ingredients of concern from their products. The Life Time Foundation has been a part of this collaborative effort since 2020.
"We want all children to live healthier, happier lives and that starts with the food they eat," said Megan Flynn, MPH, RD Life Time Foundation Nutrition Program Manager. "That's why we are proud to offer Green Onion free to all school food professionals and support them in their efforts to eliminate ultra-processed foods and refine their menus for the health and wellbeing of the children they serve."
To streamline food product data collection and ensure its accuracy, Life Time Foundation has partnered with 1WorldSync, the largest Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN) which simplifies the distribution of accurate, updated and relevant product information into Green Onion. This allows Green Onion to receive real time product data directly from K-12 suppliers, ensuring reliable information is available to all school food professionals nationwide.
"Because Green Onion is conveniently accessible online, accurate and free to users, it enables every school district – regardless of size – to quickly and efficiently evaluate products in the school marketplace and immediately choose alternatives in favor of products that remove harmful ingredients. This makes it a truly unique and indispensable tool for every school nutrition program across the country," Dr. Wilson added.
School districts and school food professionals interested in creating a free Green Onion account may learn more and get started HERE.
About Life Time Foundation
Life Time Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit associated with Life Time, works nationwide with the goal of improving youth health. Established in 2011, the Life Time Foundation helps school districts navigate the many barriers to serving healthy, delicious meals, such as: providing the guidance of registered dietitians, funding culinary training and capital equipment, and helping measure and track progress towards the elimination of ultra-processed foods and the increase of scratch cooked meals. The Foundation custom fits its relationships with school districts to empower the real heroes, school food professionals, to create long-term, sustainable progress toward a healthier future for the kids they serve.
About Life Time
Life Time (NYSE: LTH) empowers people to live healthy, happy lives through its portfolio of more than 160 athletic country clubs across the United States and Canada. The Company's healthy way of life communities and ecosystem address all aspects of healthy living, healthy aging and healthy entertainment for people 90 days to 90+ years old. Supported by a team of more than 35,000 dedicated professionals, Life Time is committed to providing the best programs and experiences through its clubs, iconic athletic events and comprehensive digital platform.
For more information or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.ltfoundation.org.
SOURCE Life Time, Inc.
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