In 2022, the Rocky Mountain Tribal Epidemiology Center (RMTEC) formalized a collaborative partnership with the Chef Ann Foundation, No Kid Hungry, and the Coalition to End Childhood Hunger to bring a comprehensive diabetes prevention approach to the Tribal schools in the RMTEC region. With the help and expertise of these partners, RMTEC aims to transform Tribal school food programs at the local level through diabetes education and training of school food service workers.

The RMTEC School Food Institute sponsors a set of online courses offered by the Chef Ann Foundation that provide professional development and training on successful “scratch-cook” operations in schools, giving school food service professionals the tools and knowledge to make fresh, healthy school meals for its students and staff.

In April 2022, RMTEC staff, along with staff from the Chef Ann Foundation, visited the Blackfeet and Flathead Tribal sites to provide onsite scratch-cook training. The chefs trained school food service staff on making simple, healthy meals with fresh ingredients and served the meals in the schools. Staff also received education and training on using locally available ingredients. It is RMTEC’s hope to expand these partnerships to include all Tribal sites in the Rocky Mountain region over the next few years.

The School Food Institute

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