Connect With NuVal
For more information, contact:
Peter Streit
Hy-Vee
(712) 234-1960
Robert Keane
NuVal LLC
(781) 228-5799
Hy-Vee to teach Sioux City students about NuVal™
First-and second-graders throughout the district will receive information on making healthy food choices
SIOUX CITY, IA (June 2, 2010) – To the three R’s of traditional education some Sioux City students will add an
N – for Nutrition.
Starting this fall, first- and second-graders in the Sioux City Community Schools will receive classroom
instruction on a variety of nutrition topics, thanks to an innovative curriculum developed by Hy-Vee. The
curriculum includes instruction about NuVal™, the unique nutrition ranking system that rates all foods on a scale
of 1 to 100 based on nutrition.
Peter Streit, manager of perishables at the Gordon Drive Hy-Vee, put the program together with the help of Hy-
Vee registered dietitians Sarah Nelson and Lindsay Lannan. The three, one-hour courses teach basic information
about the role of diet in a healthy lifestyle and will be taught in all first- and second-grade classrooms during the
2010-2011 school year.
“Nutrition education is a vital component of health education,” Streit said. “The earlier we start helping children
develop good eating habits, the more successful we will be in combating childhood obesity and other health issues
related to diet.”
The courses developed for the Sioux City schools incorporate information about the NuVal nutritional scoring
system used at Hy-Vee and other stores throughout the country. NuVal™ analyzes more than 30 nutrients in foods
and assigns each food a score between 1 and 100; the higher the score, the greater the nutritional value of the
food. NuVal scores are found on the shelf tags at participating supermarkets.
According to Hy-Vee dietitian Lindsay Lannan, NuVal has proven to be an excellent tool for helping children
develop healthier eating habits.
“NuVal™ is very easy for even young children to understand, because all they have to do is look for a single
number on the shelf tag,” Lannan said. “Choosing healthy foods becomes something of a game for them, which
makes nutrition fun instead of a chore.”
“NuVal’s biggest strength is that it reduces complex science about the food we eat into an easy-to-understand
system; you get expert advice in a glance,” said NuVal™ President Nancy McDermott. “We’re thrilled to reach
students of Sioux City, and we’re grateful for Hy-Vee for putting this program together.”
Mary Jo Salem, director of elementary education for the Sioux City Community Schools, said the partnership
with Hy-Vee is one example of the ways schools can bridge the gap between what students learn in the classroom
and what they experience at home and in the community.
“We’re pleased to have Hy-Vee’s involvement in enhancing the physical well-being of students,” Salem said.
“Providing students with information on the NuVal™ system and the importance of making healthy choices is a nice
way to enrich our health curriculum at the elementary level.”
Hy-Vee representatives recently visited Nodland Elementary School to preview the three nutrition courses that
will be presented in all Sioux City public schools next year. The course content and delivery drew positive
responses from school officials.
“This program is exciting because it is good for the kids to have knowledge they can teach their parents,” said Len
Hansen, principal of Nodland and Sunnyside schools. “It creates an awareness that helps kids choose the healthier
item.”
Jacque Eidal, second grade teacher at Nodland, agreed. “The program presented by Hy-Vee offered a great deal of
information in a fun, energetic way,” she said. “The poster and handout material were great additions to the
lesson. At this age kids are like sponges and soak up information which they take home and tell their parents.”
About Hy-Vee:
Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating 229 retail stores in eight Midwestern states. For 2009
the company recorded total sales of $6.4 billion, ranking it among the top 30 supermarket chains and the top 50
private companies in the United States. Visit the company’s website at www.hy-vee.com
About NuVal:
The NuVal™ Nutritional Scoring System is a unique food labeling system which ranks all foods between 1 and 100;
the higher the score, the higher the food’s overall nutrition. NuVal™ Scores can be found in participating grocery
stores, where they are posted on shelf tags next to the product price and on in-store signage. Currently, NuVal™
scores can be found at Price Chopper, Hy-Vee, Meijer, and United Supermarket stores, with more U.S. retail
chains scheduled to introduce the system to their customers in 2010. Visitors to the NuVal website
(www.nuval.com) can find sample scores in a variety of categories. NuVal™ is a joint venture formed in 2008 by
Topco Associates, LLC, and Griffin Hospital. Retailers interested in learning more about the NuVal™ System can
contact NuVal LLC at partners@NuVal.com or (781) 228-5800.