Latino families are more likely to live in areas without access to fresh, affordable foods, putting them at risk for diet-related diseases like diabetes. Food experts in Michigan are hoping that some recently acquired funds will help jump-start some solutions to food access issues in the state. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has awarded two grants to Michigan State University’s Center for Regional Food Systems to give more Michiganders access to healthy, sustainable, affordable food. The first grant focuses on expanding access to fresh food, advancing local food purchasing and supporting Michigan farmers. The project will build on existing work assisting schools, school districts and early childcare programs with farm-to-school initiatives, which connect students with local foods ...
It's no secret that the mobile food movement is sweeping the nation. Not only are food trucks rolling through cities offering a different kind of dining experiences, mobile farmers' markets and grocery stores are increasingly working to bridge gaps in healthy food access. A group in Tulsa, Oklahoma is hoping to capitalize on this new mobile food scene, with the goal to bring healthy food to those who need it. The Food On The Move mobile food initiative, is a collaboration of food and health experts and community partners to mobilize good quality food into hard to reach economically challenged areas, helping combat hunger in Tulsa and Oklahoma in a new way. Recently, Food On The Move held their first even at Tulsa Community College. At the event, food trucks lined the lawn as ...
Latinos in the Minneapolis area will soon have the opportunity to learn more about healthy eating on a budget. The Midtown Farmers Market has been collaborating with Community Action of Minneapolis (CAMPLS) to launch a new program called Comprando Rico y Sano. The Program is being implemented across the country by the National Council of La Raza, and aims to educate and improve the health of Latino communities nationwide.
The program focuses on training community members and leaders to become promotores de salud (lay health educators). These promotores work in the community, organizing groups and lead interactive educational sessions, or charlas, to help educate families on how to lead more healthy, affordable lifestyles. In addition to teaching nutrition, the ...
Child care centers are increasingly becoming aware of how their policies can set young kids on a healthy path for years to come The Illinois Joint Commission on Administrative Rules announced new standards for obesity prevention in licensed child care settings statewide in August 2014. The requirements establish updated nutrition standards for healthier eating, increases in recommended physical activity time, and limits on screen time. The new standards will affect many kids who spend time in child care centers, including Latino kids. Read about the new standards here (page ...
In some neighborhoods, the quickest place to shop for groceries is the local corner store. Unfortunately, these small stores have limited fresh produce options and often cost way more than the same items in a full-service grocery store. The University of Missouri Extension and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services are offering a new program to show communities how to improve access to healthy, affordable foods by working with small food retailers. A free Aug. 28 webinar will give community partners and retailers information about the Stock Healthy, Shop Healthy program The program, "Stock Healthy, Shop Healthy" helps community groups and retailers work together to educate consumers on the value of eating healthy at stores in their area, said MU Extension ...
In the small city of Beaumont, Texas, not every family has easy access to affordable, healthy foods. Rebecca Boone, the executive director of Slow Food Beaumont, wants to start a new program, Get Fresh Beaumont, to address this problem. The initial plan is for a group of volunteers to set up a fruit and veggie stand once a month in areas considered food deserts, areas with low income and no grocery store nearby. They will sell these fresh fruits and vegetables at reduced prices and hope to have the produce donated by local farmers and community gardens. In a local news article, Boone said that she wants Get Fresh Beaumont to not only promote healthy eating, but to increase civic engagement. Get Fresh Beaumont received a $5,000 grant from a Capital One trust to use as ...
Food and beverage marketing, including toy giveaways, can influence children’s food preferences, food choices, diets, and health, and Latino kids are specifically targeted more than others when it comes to food marketing. On August 21, New York City Council Member Ben Kallos introduced legislation that would set nutrition standards for those restaurant kids' meals that are accompanied by toys, games, trading cards, or other incentives . According to the press release, a meal that met the health standards would include: 500 calories or less;
Fewer than 35% of calories from fat;
Fewer than 10% of calories from trans fats;
Fewer than 10% of calories from sugar and fewer than 600 mgs of sodium; and
A serving of fruit, vegetable or whole grains. Food policy ...
Another mobile food truck is brining farm-fresh produce to the streets---this time in northeastern Florida. Farm to Family, a new mobile market that launched in summer 2014, is the latest outreach program of Pie in the Sky, a non-profit operating food programs for families in the small town of Hastings, FL. The market makes around 20 stops a week in St. Johns County and accepts food assistance benefits, like SNAP. Latinos make up around 15% of SNAP participants. Farm to Family’s website lists its scheduled stops as well as the weekly produce offerings. The truck also stocks reasonably-priced non-local items, such as bananas. Farm to Family also posts recipes on its website for things like carrot cake oatmeal, easy pickles and roasted veggie tacos. When residents come ...
Programs that make it easier for low-income families to buy fresh, healthy foods at farmers' markets are catching on across the country, and many Latino families are benefiting. In Washington, D.C., a new program introduced by the District’s Department of Health in partnership with farmers' markets across the city provides low-income city residents with two $5 checks a week at certified District farmers markets and some community distribution sites to spend on fruit and vegetables this summer. The D.C. Council allotted $135,000 for the purchase of food through the program, Produce Plus. The goal is to increase access to fresh produce for those who may struggle to afford it. Recipients of most food assistance programs, including SNAP and WIC, are eligible for Produce ...
