Food and Nutrition

Cross posted from the Let's Move blog: The city of Los Angeles is known all around the world for Hollywood, Beverly Hills, celebrities as well as glitz and glamour. There are more than 125,000 millionaires and more than 20 billionaires in this city I now call home. But the reality is there is still...

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...

We all have our own methods and traditions for selecting fresh produce, especially as the weather gets warmer and our stores and markets are full of fresh seasonal offerings. Whether it’s smelling the rind or checking the firmness of the skin, these age-old practices are all designed to help pick...

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. What’s in the food we eat? Have you ever wondered if the foods past generations ate as children were more nutritious...

With summer approaching, many of our nation’s students will soon be out of school enjoying their break. However, too many of these children may miss out on a meal they normally would receive through USDA’s school meals programs. Thanks to an innovative approach, Florida’s at-risk children can now...

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo last week, we here at the Food and Nutrition Service had the chance to participate in the 22 nd National Cinco de Mayo Festival® Latinos Living Healthy Feria de Salud, sponsored by the League of Latino American Citizens (LULAC). The exciting event, held on the...

I collect aprons like other people collect coins. There are dozens hanging in my kitchen, so many I suspect several have never actually been used. So it was with some self-consciousness that I accepted yet another apron last fall from the Center for Ecoliteracy. The Center was handing out hundreds...

Cross posted from the Huffington Post: As the saying goes, "It takes a village to raise a child." Nowhere is this more evident than in our nation's schools. Each day, millions of America's young people are educated, fed and nurtured in these academic "villages." A crucial aspect of each child's...

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...

As the school year begins to wind down, let’s take time to acknowledge the unsung heroes in our nation’s school cafeterias. School nutrition employees contribute greatly to a child’s short- and long-term health and academic success, but their contributions often go without recognition. Today is...