December 2, 2014
By Kathleen Lees The last concern on children’s minds is eating healthy. Yet adding a little fun and games to the equation can make a dramatic difference when it comes to eating right. Recent findings published in the journal Appetite found that some fun fruit and vegetable games were enough to encourage toddlers to try […]
Read more >October 9, 2014
USDA is firmly committed to ensuring that all Americans have access to a safe, healthy, adequate, and affordable diet. Unfortunately, our nation is facing an unprecedented nutrition crisis, with far too many Americans facing both food insecurity and obesity. Although it seems paradoxical, the two actually go hand in hand far too often. To reverse […]
Read more >October 8, 2014
On Oct. 2 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced nearly $118 million in grants to strengthen markets for specialty crops, such as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, horticulture, and nursery crops. The grants were authorized through the 2014 Farm Bill as part of an effort to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops and provide resources to strengthen […]
Read more >August 27, 2014
Giving low-income families vouchers to buy fruits and vegetables at farmers markets could increase their consumption of these healthy foods, according to a new study. Low-income families tend to eat fewer fruits and vegetables. In addition to not having adequate access to healthy foods, cost is also an issue. Farmers market vouchers could help address […]
Read more >August 1, 2014
By Kathleen Lees A healthy diet remains an essential part of a child’s development. However, many children might not be so eager to pick up a piece of broccoli. Of course, they’d much rather have some candy or cake. But is it all just about the taste? A recent study published in the Journal of […]
Read more >July 7, 2014
Living close to a supermarket appears to be a key factor in the success of interventions to help obese children eat better and improve their weight, according to a study presented May 3 at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Urban neighborhoods and rural towns without access to fresh, […]
Read more >June 18, 2014
By Lenny Bernstein Grocery coupons aren’t associated with nutritious food. Big chains use them to lure you into the store, offering discounts mostly on processed food and snacks. When researchers looked at 1,056 coupons available online for supermarkets nationwide, they found that the largest share (25 percent) were for “processed snack foods, candies, and desserts.” […]
Read more >April 30, 2014
New federal standards launched in 2012 that require schools to offer healthier meals have led to increased fruit and vegetable consumption, according to a new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers. The study, the first to examine school food consumption both before and after the standards went into effect, contradicts criticisms that […]
Read more >January 24, 2014
The good news: Research suggests that a new federal rule has prompted the nation’s schools to serve an extra $5.4 million worth of fruits and vegetables each day. The bad news: The nation’s children throw about $3.8 million of that in the garbage each day. Researchers from Brigham Young University and Cornell University observed three […]
Read more >December 20, 2013
A trip down the grocery store produce aisle could soon feel like a stroll down “Sesame Street.” Michelle Obama announced that the nonprofit organization behind the popular children’s educational TV program will let the produce industry use Elmo, Big Bird, and Sesame Street’s other furry characters free of charge to market fruits and veggies to […]
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