It is Broken Shackle Ranch’s policy to ensure that all students in our care receive proper nutrition, physical activity, and education to ensure that they can live healthy, active lives.  The food service coordinator will ensure that this policy is followed & these goals are being attained. This policy is updated as often as needed to comply with changes in regulations.

Nutrition Education:

To educate our students on proper nutrition, we have incorporated a “Life Skills” group into our program.  This group is held two mornings every week, teaching the students about proper hygiene, eating habits, and proper nutrition.  The students are Rotated through the group every nine weeks to keep the number of students in the group small and encourage discussion about any given topic.

Physical Activity:

In order to ensure that our students have ample opportunity for physical activity, our program incorporates various periods of free time throughout the week.  This includes morning, lunch, and afternoon breaks, recreational time in the evenings, and scheduled physical activities for weekends.  Activities include, but are not limited to: basketball, softball, flag football, volleyball, lifting free weights, etc.  Many of our students also enjoy jogging or “flipping” (gymnastics).  All activities are supervised by qualified staff members.  Activities can range in time frame from 30 minutes to three hours depending on the sport & day of the week/weekend.

Nutrition Guidelines for all foods available on campus:

Broken Shackle Ranch ensures that all foods served to students follow USDA nutritional guidelines.  We serve a three-week rotating menu that is based on USDA meals.  The students receive a wide variety of meats, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, as well as milk and water during meals.  We also encorporate an afternoon snack into our schedule during the afternoon break.

Reimbursable Meals:

All students at BSR are on the free breakfast and lunch program.  All records are kept in accordance with USDA training and guidelines.  

Goals for Nutrition Promotion:

•       Serve food that meets USDA nutritional standards.

•       Follow USDA approved 3-week rotating menu for breakfast & lunch.

•       Offer a variety of fresh fruits during meals & healthy snacks for breaks as available.

•       Water is accessible throughout the day via coolers, a water fountain, and from the kitchen.

•       Daniel Cobb will use the Smart Snacks calculator for snacks.

Goals for Nutrition Education:

•       Post food nutrition signage around the campus, specifically in the cafeteria & kitchen.

•       RN will conduct a nutritional education class quarterly to review good food choices, the benefits of exercise, and nutritional guidelines.

•       Human Service Professionals and/or the food service coordinator will incorporate monthly health videos in their counseling sessions via YouTube.com or other online resources. 

•       Exercise competitions will be held periodically by staff and the food service coordinator.

•       Food service students are taught proper food prep, meal planning, and meal preparation.  The ServSafe program is also available for students interested in going into the food service field.

•       We will post signage for appropriate serving sizes for the students & staff to reference.

Goals for Physical Activity:

•       Students in the program are enrolled in at least one of these vocational classes daily: construction/cabinetry, welding, automotive maintenance, or food service.  Youth are physically active throughout the day through these vocational trades.

•       TV & video game time is restricted to certain times of the evening, so students are encouraged to go out & play during recreational times.

•       Sports & recreation time will be offered to students throughout the week & on weekends, to include, but not limited to:

softball games, basketball games, soccer, touch football, corn hole, & weight lifting.  These activities will be supervised by staff to ensure proper sportsmanship.

•       Quarterly camping trips held in April, June, & September give students the chance to go swimming, fishing, boating, tubing, knee boarding, etc.

Nutritional Guidelines for All Foods Available on Campus:

•       All food served at breakfast/lunch meals will be USDA approved.

•       Water is offered for every meal & throughout the day.

•       Fresh fruit is available in the cafeteria.

•       Healthy snacks are available during break times.

•       Whole grain bread products are offered at breakfast & lunch.

•       Skim & 1% milk is offered at breakfast & lunch.

The administrator (David Cobb), the food service coordinator (Daniel Cobb), & the Human Service Professional (Jamie Cobb) will review this policy & measure the effectiveness of the goals quarterly (every three months).  Students will also be given a survey biannually to measure meal/menu satisfaction & to gather suggestions for alternate meals they’d like to be served.  Suggestions will be checked against USDA nutritional standards & implemented as appropriate.  Physical activity & exercise requirements from Georgia State Contracts & Georgia State Licensing are met weekly.  

Wellness Committee

Food Service Coordinator:

Daniel L. Cobb; danielcobb@bsranch.org

COO/CFO: David R Cobb; davidcobb@bsr.education

Human Service Provider

Jamie D. Cobb jcobb@bsr.education

If there are any questions/concerns or you would like to become apart of this committee please feel free to contact me.  

Sincerely,

Daniel L. Cobb

Broken Shackle Ranch Food Service Coordinator