Food and Nutrition Information Center

The Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) at USDA's National Agricultural Library (NAL) has launched a redesigned website featuring several improvements to make it easier for nutrition educators, health professionals and government personnel to find and use the site's excellent nutrition information.

The FNIC website is easier to navigate to nutrition topics of interest, including topics such as food labeling, lifecycle nutrition, and professional and career resources in nutrition. Users will find it easier to get to popular resources such as USDA's food composition database by using the "I Want To..." boxes found on the right side of web pages. The long-time favorite "Topics A-Z," which covers over 70 nutrition topics, can be found along the top bar of the webpages. In addition, the site is now more attractive with many colorful graphics.

The FNIC site serves as the central location for several special program websites, including two- the Healthy Meals Resource System, and the Food Stamp Nutrition Connection --which also launched redesigned websites paralleling the FNIC upgrade.

The Healthy Meals Resource System for Child Nutrition Professionals has a new search environment and enhancements which add to its rich collection of resources and database of training materials. Users of the redesigned site can now browse information conveniently arranged in topics including Resource Library, Recipes and Menu Planning, Food Safety, Special Diets and Nutrient Standard Menu Planning. The Training Materials Database provides information on over 1100 curriculums and training materials. The site map includes a detailed list of all materials available on the site.

Nutrition educators and other users of the Food Stamp Nutrition Connection site will find information arranged in subjects such as Resource Library, Professional Development Tools, Recipes and Databases, National Food Stamp Nutrition Education (FSNE), State Gates, and Photo Gallery. The Resource Library connects users to educational resources, recipes, a referral index and an online Sharing Center where FSNE professionals can share ideas and resources. The Professional Development Tools section of the site contains resources and information to aid in the training and development of FSNE professionals including: Hot-Topics A-Z, Web-based Learning and background information on Evaluation and Social Marketing.