In the Fairfax County Public School District in Fairfax, Va., a parent group called Real Food for Kids had rid school cafeterias of highly processed junk foods and improved the nutrition of school snacks and menus. But the change was not very visible to students. So the group, led by parent JoAnne Hammermaster, helped bring a fresh food stations showcase the healthier selections—and add new ones—for students at district schools.
The Need for Healthy School Food
Awareness: Childhood obesity is a priority for the parent group Real Food for Kids (RFFK), which pushes for healthy changes in the Fairfax County Public School District (FCPSD), a 22% Latino district in Fairfax, Va. In 2012, for example, RFFK drove FCPSD leaders to remove foods with artificial dyes, additives, and ...
What can be done to help more kids be active? One of the greatest ways to address inactivity in children is to reach kids is where they spend most of their time—at school. Research has shown that programs that offer physical activity, both during school and after school hours, not only help kids remain active and prevent obesity, but also help students perform better academically. On March 31, 2015, let's use #SaludTues to tweet about ideas, tips, stories and strategies to work toward a healthier school fitness environment: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “How to Bring Fitness Back to Schools & Why This Matters”
DATE: Tuesday, March, 31, 2015
TIME: Noon CST (1:00 PM ET)
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
HOST: @SaludAmerica
CO-HOSTS: Institute of ...
Do kids eat too much pizza? According to a recent study published in Pediatrics, pizza is the second-greatest source of caloric intake for youth ages of 2-19. Researchers also learned that on any given day 1 in 5 kids eat pizza and that when they do, they consume an additional 230 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 484 milligrams of sodium. When asked by reporters from ABC-7 what he thought about the study's findings, Daniel Cisneros a student from Canutillo High in El Paso, Texas responded: "I'm not surprised whatsoever. I think kids do eat too much pizza and they don't pay attention to much of the health facts that are involved with it." Reporters at ABC-7 also looked at what a typical school lunch menu looks like for local schools and found that on average pizza is served ...
The Salud Heroes video series shows how real people have made healthy changes for kids across the country, to inspire others to make similar changes. Now the series can be called "award-winning." More than 40 awards have been given to the Salud Heroes video series and the Salud America! website. Salud America! is a childhood obesity research and communication network funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and led by Dr. Amelie Ramirez of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. The recognition is from the AVA Digital Awards, Communicator Awards, Telly Awards, Aurora Awards, Web Health Awards, HERMES Awards, Davey Awards, and W³ Awards. Just this week, Rick Carrillo, Salud America! TV producer/director, was named a finalist for the "Best in ...
Unhealthy diets can contribute to obesity. But in many neighborhoods, there are more fast-food restaurants than grocery stores and farmers’ markets, which can offer affordable fresh fruits and vegetables, whole-grain products, low-fat milk, and other healthy options. Let’s use #SaludTues on March 17, 2015, to tweet and discuss strategies on how to bring families closer to grocery stores and healthy foods in their neighborhoods: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “How to Get Closer to My Grocer”
DATE: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
TIME: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT)
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
HOST: @SaludAmerica
CO-HOSTS: The American Heart Association Voices for Healthy Kids Texas Campaign Team, The Food Trust (@thefoodtrust), and Voices for Healthy Kids ...
Burger King has joined fellow fast-food restaurants McDonald's and Wendy's in ensuring kids' have healthy drink options. Burger King has agreed to remove sugary soda from its kids' meals and menus. Additionally, the company will not market soda as part of its kids’ meals at all. All the changes have been made at headquarters, and individual franchises are in the process of making the switch. Burger King made the change, "as part of our ongoing effort to offer our guests options that match lifestyle needs," said Alex Macedo, president of Burger King North America, in an e-mailed statement to USA TODAY. Instead of soft drinks, the Burger King menu for kids will offer fat-free milk, 100% apple juice and low-fat chocolate milk. Health advocacy groups like CSPI and Mom'sRising ...
Alexander Castillo was looking to make some healthy changes in his own life when he came to the realization that his school lacked tasty, nutritious lunch options. Why couldn’t his school have a salad bar? After joining the Mayor’s Fitness Council Student Ambassador program, developing a plan with his mentor, and reaching out to his district’s food services department, Alexander was able to secure a salad bar for his high school. The new salad bar led to an increase in salad purchases and a new outlook on eating fresh fruit and vegetables at his school.
The Need for Healthy School Food
Awareness: Alexander Castillo, a student at Southwest Academy (a non-traditional alternative high school in the mostly Latino city of San Antonio, Texas) set a goal to pursue his passion for ...
Farmers’ markets are a great place to find fresh fruits and vegetables when your local grocery store doesn’t sell them. But when your neighborhood doesn’t have a farmers’ market OR a local grocery store with fresh fruits and vegetables—are you just out of luck? Find out how Michelle Griego, a school teacher-turned healthy food leader, was inspired by her friend to start a farmers’ market in her neighborhood in San Antonio, Texas, so neighbors could not only have better access to fresh fruits and vegetables, but learn how to cook tasty dishes that make healthy eating a delicious way of life.
No Farmer's Market in Your Town?
Awareness: As a computer teacher at an elementary school in San Antonio, Texas, Michelle Griego watches kids choose chips over carrots ...
Schools across the country are revamping their lunch menus to better reflect the updated national nutrition standards. Some schools are going above and beyond the standards and making huge strides to serve healthy, delicious food to students. In Blount County, Tennessee, schools are experimenting with growing their own fresh produce for school lunch. Agriculture teacher Mike Whitehead’s classes piloted the program last year at William Blount High School and William Blount Ninth Grade Academy. Since the program started, the cafeteria has gradually increased its produce orders to meet student demand, said manager Yvonne Buchanan in a news article. Currently, students grow fresh produce for six cafeterias: Mary Blount Elementary School, Friendsville Elementary School, Union Grove ...
