Durham Innovative Nutrition Education

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Durham Innovative Nutrition Education

A unique school and community-based nutrition education program made of Registered Dietitians

DINE, Durham's Innovative Nutrition Education, program is a unique school and community-based nutrition education program that serves the people of Durham, NC through all stages of life. It is a program designed and implemented by Registered Dietitians of the Durham County Department of Public Health in Durham, North Carolina and is supported by funds from both SNAP Education and Durham County.

02/20/2026

For more information and market hours visit TriangleDoubleBucks.com

Para obtener más información y horas del mercados, visite TriangleDoubleBucks.com

02/18/2026

The National School Breakfast Program (NSBP) provides 15 million breakfasts nationwide every day. In November, Durham Public Schools (DPS) provided over 99,000 free breakfasts to hungry children.

Child nutrition programs such as the NSBP provide a lifeline for children and families in our community. Research shows these programs are effective in alleviating food insecurity and poverty, supporting good nutrition, and improving health and learning.

All students attending DPS get free breakfast and lunch without having to submit an application. They simply go to the cafeteria and order!

National School Breakfast Week March 2nd-6th

To view DPS school breakfast or lunch menus: https://www.dpsnc.net/o/dps/page/menus

For more on National School Breakfast Week, visit: https://schoolnutrition.org/event/national-school-breakfast-week/

02/17/2026

In 2026, Lunar New Year falls on February 17th, kicking off the 16-day Spring Festival.

DID YOU KNOW?...
The Lunar New Year is celebrated in China, South Korea, Vietnam and other Asian countries.
Each country has traditional new year's foods. Different foods you might see:
long noodles, dumplings, soups, sticky rice, and so much more!

Sabías que… El año nuevo lunar se celebra en China, Corea del Sur, Vietnam, y otros países asiáticos. Cada país tiene comidas típicas para el año nuevo. Diferentes alimentos que se pueden ver:
fideos largos, dumplings, sopas, arroz pegajoso, ¡y mucho más!

02/16/2026

Durham Public Schools (DPS) offers free breakfast and lunch to ALL students regardless of income or application. Allowing all students to eat for free reduces stigma in cafeterias and increases student's access to the nutrition they need to succeed throughout the school day. Students who participate in school breakfast show improved behavior, attendance, and academic performance as well as decreased tardiness.

Child nutrition programs such as the School Breakfast Program, the School Lunch Program, SNAP, Summer Nutrition EBT, and WIC are a key strategy to support positive development and behavior among students facing food insecurity.

DPS school menus: www.dpsnc.net/o/dps/page/menus

For more about National School Breakfast Week visit: schoolnutrition.org/event/national-school-breakfast-week/

02/14/2026

Thank you, Chef Lena Richard!

02/13/2026

Thank you, Madeline M. Turner for your contribution to the food industry!

02/12/2026

Did you know?
America’s food guidelines are updated every 5 years. Here are some of DINE's recommendations that can support a healthy lifestyle!

02/04/2026

📸Community dietitian nutritionist, Megan Marquis, roasting butternut squash in preparation for a cooking demonstration.
➡️Swipe for recipe, "Butternut Squash Apple Salad"

DINE provides nutrition lessons and cooking demonstrations to Durham community sites for adults of all ages. These classes do more than just teach recipes—they build skills, knowledge, and community connections that encourage lasting changes in how people eat!

01/22/2026

We have not used the Food Pyramid as an educational tool or healthy eating visual since 2011. Scroll back in time to see the history of USDA Food Guides. The food guides have changed over time to reflect the recommended dietary guidelines.

Introduced in 2011, MyPlate, was the first guide to help the public visualize a balanced meal. MyPlate emphasizes variety and proportion on the plate, while including foods from each food group.
🍽️A plate visual works for most people because it is SIMPLE and relatable. We can look to it to plan our plates (or bowls) over the course of the day, or over the week. MyPlate is easy to use, customizable, based on science and consumer feedback, and is an overall great tool.

The newest version of the pyramid (reverse pyramid?) is confusing and lacks clear guidance.
The reverse pyramid graphic contradicts many sections of the written Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs). For example:
🧈A large amount of food images shown are high saturated fat sources. The DGAs still recommend saturated fat intake should not exceed 10% of daily calories.

📢Stay tuned - we will continue to break down our thoughts on the DGAs and the new pyramid in the coming weeks!

🍽️If you find the plate visual helpful, look to these resources that are still available:
myplate.gov/eat-healthy/what-is-myplate

Harvard School of Public Health’s Healthy Eating Plate
🌐nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/healthy-eating-plate/

Canadian Food Guide
🌐food-guide.canada.ca/en/

Tufts University: MyPlate for Older Adults
🌐hnrca.tufts.edu/resources/my-plate-older-adults

Individuals with specific medical needs can also look up tailored plate methods visuals, such as:
💙American Diabetes Association: The Diabetes Plate method
💛American Institute for Cancer Research: the New American Plate
❤️American Heart Association supporting Plate Method

Reference for Food Guide timeline:
https://myplate-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/2024-05/A-Brief-History-of-the-USDA-Food-Guides.pdf

01/16/2026

The 2025-2030 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) was released January 7th.

As registered dietitians we are committed to following evidence-based guidelines. While many recommendations align with longstanding nutrition recommendations, there are also some contradictions and other areas that we feel could use further clarification and guidance.

In the days and weeks to come, we hope to be diving deeper into more specific topics related to the DGAs.
For trusted nutrition information please visit: https://www.eatright.org/

✔️

12/05/2025

DINE leads afterschool programs. This one took place at RN Harris and was lead by DINE dietitian, Kim Barrier. There was apple trivia, a movement activity in the gym, and students got to make their own apple parfaits!

11/25/2025

DINE is a team of registered dietitians and nutrition professionals who champion better food access and enjoyable eating. We seek to enhance the health and well-being of Durham residents by:
Providing trustworthy nutrition education through positive experiences with food; and
Working with the community to make healthy choices more accessible where people live, learn and play.

Address

Durham, NC

Telephone

+19195607789

Website

https://www.dcopublichealth.org/services/nutrition/dine

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Our Story

DINE, Durham's Innovative Nutrition Education, program is a unique school and community-based nutrition education program that serves the people of Durham, NC through all stages of life. It is a program designed and implemented by the Durham County Department of Public Health in Durham, North Carolina and is supported by funds from both SNAP Education and Durham County.