Dairy Queen Removes Sodas from Kids’ Meals


dairy queen sodas

Following the lead of other large fast-food chains like McDonald's and Wendy's, Dairy Queen has agreed to remove sodas from its listing of kids’ meals on menu boards and replace them with milk and water. According to a letter addressed to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), who had urged Dairy Queen to take such action, Dairy Queen's Franchise Advisory Council voted unanimously to remove soft drinks from kids’ menu. The change will go into effect on Sept. 1, 2015 when new menu board panels arrive at franchise locations. “Dairy Queen deserves credit for being responsive to the concerns of parents, who increasingly want to be able to order off the kids’ menu without having to say ‘no’ to soda,” said CSPI nutrition policy director Margo G. Wootan in ...

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Michaelie Love: Grab-and-Go Breakfast Cart Makes School Breakfast Cool (and Healthy)



San Antonio student Michaelie Love knows that, for many high school students, the hour before school begins is spent socializing or cramming for tests—not in the cafeteria eating a healthy breakfast. Breakfast is included in the federal school nutrition program and is free or reduced-price for students who qualify. Health professionals say skipping breakfast before school can lead to poor academic performance and unhealthy over-eating later in the day. Love wanted to make eating breakfast at school easy, healthy, and cool. Breakfast Habits among Youth The North East Independent School District (NEISD) is the second-largest school district in San Antonio with about 68,000 students, 58% of which are Latino. Michaelie Love is a junior at NEISD’s International School of the ...

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El Paso Zoo Uses Menus, Signage To Get Kids ‘Wild About Health’



The zoo isn’t exactly a place of health (for humans), with typical fare like popcorn, ice cream, cotton candy, and sugary drinks. However, in El Paso, Texas, kids and visitors of all ages are learning fun facts about how they can be healthy by copying habits, like eating fruits and vegetables, from animals. In 2012, the El Paso Zoo installed new signs and healthy menu items to promote good health for its record-breaking 354,130 visitors, and they continue to work with city public health officials to make a healthy lifestyle second nature to the community. How Healthy Is the Food at Your Zoo? Awareness: In 2010, El Paso, Texas, a vibrant a city with a rich culture at the west-most point of the state, was named the “third-fattest city” in the U.S. Sue Beatty, a health ...

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Restaurant Chain Finds Healthier Default Kids’ Menu Options Work


Silver Diner healthy menus

Big name fast-food restaurants like Wendy's, Dairy Queen, and Burger King are taking sodas off their kids' menu and replacing them with healthier default drinks. But folks are wondering. Will kids eat and drink the new healthy items or still long for fries and soda? One restaurant chain in Virginia and Maryland is finding that kids don't miss unhealthy menu items and are instead digging-in to the restaurant's revamped, healthier kids' menu. Silver Diner fast-casual restaurants completely overhauled their kids' menu in 2012. They swapped greasy burgers and fries for healthy and unique options, like teriyaki salmon and quinoa pancakes. While they still serve some classic kid favorites like grilled cheeses and chicken tenders, the chain took fries and sodas off the kids' menu ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 5/5/15: How to Have a Healthy Cinco de Mayo


cinco de mayo

Cinco de Mayo (May 5) is the perfect time to celebrate traditions, music, and food. But too often that means leaving good nutrition behind. Let’s use #SaludTues on May 5, 2015, to tweet recipes, tips, and other resources that can make sure we eat healthy and stay active while we celebrate the best of Cinco de Mayo: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “How to Have a Healthy Cinco de Mayo” DATE: Tuesday, May 5, 2015 TIME: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT) WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: Evette Rios, bilingual lifestyle expert and host of Recipe Rehab (@evrios), the American Heart Association’s Vida Saludable program (@AHA_Vida), Chef Daisy Martinez (@LA_Daisy) We’ll open the floor to your stories and experiences as we ...

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El Jardin, La Cocina y El Mercado: Healthy Living Takes Root at Bowie High School



El Paso, Texas has come a long way since ranked as the third-fattest U.S. city in 2012. A renewed focus on eating healthy and moving more is paying off; obesity rates in the area are dropping. In addition to local health departments and community organizations, schools are playing a big role in these changes by addressing health, culture and community all at once. At Bowie High School, with the help of teacher Ana Suffle, students are getting exposed not only to gardening, nutrition education and business skills, they are reconnecting with cultural traditions that favor fresh and flavorful over processed and sugary. The Lack of Healthy Food in Schools Awareness/Learn: The city of El Paso, Texas, shares its border with Mexico. This creates an interesting dynamic where some ...

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A High School Project Brings Healthy Food to a San Antonio Neighborhood


Rick Treviño healthy food san antonio

From PowerPoint presentations to outlines to thick textbooks, there are many ways students learn about the world while at school. Rarely do they get the chance to learn by actually solving real-world problems—let alone problems that directly affect their lives. Learn how Rick Treviño, a high school teacher in San Antonio, Texas, merged academics with activism and rallied his students to bring healthy, affordable fruits and vegetables into their neighborhood. The Lack of Healthy Food in the Community Awareness:  While listening to the radio one day, San Antonio resident and high school teacher Rick Treviño got an idea. He was listening to a news story about how a group in Michigan started a Double Up Food Bucks program at local farmers’ market as a way to allow low-income ...

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More Schools in Nevada may Offer Free Breakfast


school meals

Public schools in Nevada serving families may soon be required to offer healthy breakfast to students who might not otherwise eat a morning meal. The bill, Senate Bill 503, would require free breakfast for all students in schools where 70 percent of students or more are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. State officials say 103 elementary schools now serve breakfast, but the bill could add another 120 to the ...

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Study: Labels Can Help Consumers Make Healthier Food Choices


grocery store

In a new study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, a team of researchers led by the University of Surrey, has found that front of package nutrition labels can enable consumers to make healthier food choices. "Front of package food labeling is an important tool in helping consumers to make healthier choices and to encourage the industry to provide healthier foods," said Professor Monique Raats from the University of Surrey who led the research. Read more ...

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