ASPHN has launched a newly-designed website loaded with essential tools and resources for public health nutritionists. Brand new among them is a compilation of over 100 products related to Food Service Guidelines (FSG) that have been used or developed by state agencies and other programs. These products include standards, policies and best practices that make healthy choices, easy choices for those purchasing or receiving food from state-run food service facilities.

ASPHN developed the FSG resource page after conducting an assessment of state agencies through support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity (DNPAO). Overwhelmingly, the agencies expressed a need for one online source of information.

The new FSG resource page is well-organized and easy to use. Products are identified by the category or setting for which they were implemented, and range from worksite, cafeteria, and healthy meetings, to vending, food pantry, parks, blind vendors and several others.

According to Mary Ann Ellsworth, MS, RD, who works in the Family Health Services and WIC Program for the New Jersey State Department of Health, "this resource will become a new favorite as it helps public health nutritionists save time and effort by providing answers to many common questions. Whether nutritionists are searching for sodium reduction initiatives ... healthy vending and snack bar toolkits ... or healthy catering guides, ASPHN's FSG resource page houses all existing state-initiated programs in one convenient place."

For more information or questions about the Food Service Guidelines resource page, please contact Shana Patterson, RDN at shana@asphn.org or 814 255-2829 ext. 708.

Founded in 1952, ASPHN is a non-profit membership organization that provides state and national leadership on food and nutrition policy, programs and services aimed at improving the health of our population. ASPHN’s membership is composed of more than 300 public health nutritionists located throughout all 50 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. ASPHN's vision is healthy eating and active living for everyone. You can find ASPHN on the web at www.asphn.org and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/asphn.