Combo meals at fast food joints are usually not a healthy option, often including a sugary beverage, one or two fried sides, and a high-calorie, low nutrient main entree, but recent studies now suggest that excluding sodas from kids meal may make the healthier the choice the easier choice for kids and parents on the go. According to research published recently in the American Journal of Public Health online, kids meals that include a sugary beverage as part of the meal, add up to 82 more calories on average for each kids meal. Also, parents who buy kids meals where the price includes a beverage usually opt to choose a high-calorie, sugar-sweetened beverage rather than a sugar-free drink or no beverage. Researchers suggest from the findings that restaurants should ungroup sodas ...
Today kicks off the National School Lunch Week, helping to provide awareness and support for National Farm-to-School Month throughout October and to share and support schools who are implementing healthy school food efforts all year round. Considering that students eat more than half of their daily calories at school, nutritious school food plays a vital role in the development of healthy students and healthy eating habits. This is even more true for Latino kids who often are in schools that don't always implement healthy foods and snacks in schools, studies show. To learn more about how school meal programs have encouraged healthy eating decisions among students insights were gathered from a panel of school nutrition leaders commissioned by the Kids' Safe and Healthful Foods ...
The food you eat influences your cancer risk. The new Rx Cookbook: Cancer-Fighting Recipes, Restaurants & Markets aims to help people reduce their cancer risk with recipes based on an anti-inflammatory diet, developed by a chef and researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Inflammation is the process your body uses to protect itself in response to infection or injury, adding nourishment or immune activity. When inflammation is chronic or unresolved, it can increase cancer risk. The Rx for Better Breast Health study, led by Drs. Amelie G. Ramirez, Michael Wargovich, and Rong Li, gave local breast cancer survivors cooking classes, counseling, and biomarker assessments to test the effects of an anti-inflammatory diet on preventing cancer ...
Since 2012, Minnesota (5.2% Latino) school districts have been working to expand farm-to-school fresh food options within school lunches, buying local fresh fruits and vegetables and serving up whole-grain fresh bread. Over 27 kitchens within the state now offer fresh, cooked from scratch meals, Bertrand Weber, Minneapolis Public Schools Nutrition director explained to the StarTribune. A department of agriculture had help invest over one million dollars in over 57 districts to help support schools to upgrade their kitchens, buy local produce, make fresh meals and serve more nutritious options. However, a poll taken by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota found that 69 % of parents still worry about physical activity and healthy food access for their students while they are at ...
A new report from the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), using national data, found that the Latino high school graduation rate rose to 78% in 2013 compared to 2007. Toward A More Equitable Future: The Trends and Challenges Facing America’s Latino Children is a new report released by the NCLR which utilized nationally gathered data to shed light on the true state, good and bad, of Latino children in the United States. “When people don’t want to do something, they hide behind data,” said Lori Kaplan, head of the Latin American Youth Center in Washington, D.C. at a recent news event announcing the report. “They say ‘show me the data.’ But smaller operations usually don’t have the resources to gather data to prove that what they know to be true through ...
Why do sodas and other sugary drinks like sweetened coffees, teas, and energy drinks make us more thirsty and want more? We need hydration and water is they key to healthy hydration. Drinking more water and less sugary beverages can help our bodies in numerous ways shows various studies. So now what should we do? How can we fight the urge to sip on our favorite sweet drink? Join the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and FoodStand as they challenge you to drink "Less Soda". The Foodstand app is free to download and you can get great tips, shopping lists, recipes and more to help you kick the can or the sweet beverage of your choice!
Foodstand also helps people build healthier eating habits through community-powered challenges primarily focused on eating less ...
In working on reducing food waste since new rules went into effect in 2012, School Lunch Advisory Councils (SLACs) are now asking students to help other students eat healthier. SLACS, which are composed of a food service director, an educator, and two or three students, are using behavioral economics like encouraging students to nudge or encourage other students to consume more fruits and vegetables at lunch. Montana food directors told The Washington Free Beacon that once the cafeteria put up creative signage like the student's life-sized version of their coach promoting apples and moved their salad bar, lunch waste decreased by 35 percent. “Smarter Lunchrooms uses the basic principles of behavioral economics (the influencing factors behind people’s choices and behaviors) ...
Back in 2012, a family's vision to rebuild old farm into a flourishing urban farm started to take bloom. One of the greatest goals of the new urban farm, called Martin's Garden is that no less than 30% of what they produce or do on the property will be directed towards charities and helping others. For instance, one-third of all vegetable produce being sold to local restaurants and farmer's markets will be donated to the Atlanta Community Foodbank. The farm originated with Mr. Ora Coleman, who shared his farm with the whole community for over 5o years in Roswell, Ga. (13.4% Latino). After Tony and Shari Martin bought the farm, they worked with the city to rezone the land from suburban residential back to agriculture to refurbish up their farm. Now the farm continues to ...
A new bill supporting urban agriculture in Michigan (5% Latino) will open up doors for new economic opportunities and create new ways to increase access to healthy foods. The Urban Agriculture Acto of 2016, announced by Michigan Senator Stabenow will allow more support for urban farmers with new financial tools, support for research, and allow for healthy food to be grown in community gardens and neighborhood farms. “Urban agriculture is steadily growing in cities and towns across Michigan and across our country, creating new economic opportunities and safer, healthier environments,” Senator Stabenow told the local press. “The Urban Agriculture Act will continue this momentum by helping urban farmers get started or expand their business, so they can sell more products and ...
