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Dietary Guidelines for Americans


Avocados: Helping Draw up the Perfect Recipe for the Big Game

January 28, 2015 Heather Pichelman, Agricultural Marketing Service Fruit and Vegetable Program Promotion and Economics Division Director

The Super Bowl is next Sunday and people are busy making plans for the big game. For many, the most valuable player will be the avocado, which is quickly becoming a fan favorite. In fact, it’s estimated that Americans will consume 120 million pounds or 240 million fresh avocados during the week...

Food and Nutrition

Culinary Boot Camps: Designed to Foster a Healthier Next Generation

January 15, 2015 Chris Kelly, USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Mid-Atlantic Region

The following guest blog is part of our Cafeteria Stories series, highlighting the efforts of hard working school nutrition professionals dedicated to making the healthy choice the easy choice at schools across the country. We thank them for sharing their stories! To learn more about FNS nutrition...

Food and Nutrition

North Carolina Campus Kicks off the School Year with a Focus on Healthy Eating

August 11, 2014 Angie Tagtow, MS, RD, LD, Executive Director, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion

As a registered dietitian, I’m a big proponent of nutrition education for kids and adults alike. MyPlate On Campus , USDA’s initiative that promotes healthy eating on college campuses through peer-to-peer education, is a unique effort to reach young adults during a key life stage. The program now...

Food and Nutrition

The Healthy Eating Index: How does America Score?

June 10, 2014 Kevin Kuczynski, MS, RD, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from the USDA’s rich science and research portfolio. Have you ever heard of the Healthy Eating Index? The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) measures the quality of Americans' food...

Food and Nutrition Research and Science

MyPlate Has a Game Plan for Healthy Eating on a Budget

May 30, 2014 Shelley Maniscalco, CNPP Director for the Office of Nutrition Marketing and Communications

Everyone wants to save money at the grocery store, especially those on a tight budget. The new Healthy Eating on a Budget section of ChooseMyPlate.gov empowers cost-conscious consumers to make healthy choices with insightful information about meal planning, smart shopping ideas, and creating healthy...

Food and Nutrition

USDA Relies on Feedback to Help Schools, Children Adapt to New Meal Standards

May 22, 2014 Dr. Janey Thornton, Deputy Under Secretary, USDA Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services

As many schools wind down for the year, USDA is gearing up for exciting new improvements designed to make the 2014-2015 school year even healthier for our nation’s future leaders. It’s a commitment rooted in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. In that legislation, USDA is directed to update...

Food and Nutrition

Developing National Dietary Guidance for the Birth to 24 Months Age Group

May 06, 2014 Colette I. Rihane, Director, Office of Nutrition Guidance and Analysis, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion

Good nutrition is vital to optimal infant and toddler growth, development, and health. The importance of this age group has been emphasized by First Lady Michelle Obama, who said that “If our kids get into the habit of getting up and playing, if their palates warm up to veggies at an early age, and...

Food and Nutrition

USDA's Nutrition Evidence Library: Answering Food and Nutrition Questions with Systematic Reviews

April 28, 2014 Julie E. Obbagy, PhD, RD, USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion

During the month of April we will take a closer look at USDA’s Groundbreaking Research for a Revitalized Rural America, highlighting ways USDA researchers are improving the lives of Americans in ways you might never imagine, such as laying the foundation for evidence-based food and nutrition...

Food and Nutrition

How Research Shapes Vital Nutrition Programs

April 25, 2014 Melissa Abelev, (Acting) Assistant Deputy Administrator for Policy Support

During the month of April we will take a closer look at USDA’s Groundbreaking Research for a Revitalized Rural America, highlighting ways USDA researchers are improving the lives of Americans in ways you might never imagine, such as using research to inform policy decisions about our nutrition...

Food and Nutrition

Grandparents Help Kids Develop Good Eating Habits

March 31, 2014 Trish (Oma) Britten, Nutritionist, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion

Grandkids are a grandparent’s greatest treasure. From time to time during grandchildren’s young lives, grandparents may have the pleasure of being their caregiver. Show them how to be healthy, including how to make healthy food choices--an important way grandparents show how much they love and care...

Food and Nutrition
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