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Articles by USDA Food
USDA Announces Award for New Milk Incentive Program
(Washington DC) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the award of nearly $1 million for an innovative pilot program designed to encourage Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants to purchase and consume milk as part of a healthy, balanced diet. This pilot project builds on the success of previous incentive programs, which have shown positive impacts on the healthfulness of a persons’ diet.
Disaster program gives Hoosiers greater access to food assistance amid COVID-19 pandemic
Indiana residents who need help feeding their families during the COVID-19 pandemic will have greater access to assistance from food banks and pantries through a Disaster Household Distribution program approved by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). The disaster distribution program uses commodity foods from The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which is administered by the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), and is effective from today through May 14, 2020.
Hey, students (and parents): Check out these quick and easy healthy breakfast options
Search Eedition Home Obituaries Weather Special Sections Jobs Place An Ad Mobile & Apps Education The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service put together this video to show students why eating a healthy breakfast is important — plus provide them with a few quick, easy and budget-friendly breakfast ideas. RELATED STORIES TRENDING Copyright Privacy Policy Terms of Service
Taste Test: Behind the Scenes with USDA Foods
The USDA Foods Available List is a lot like any other menu, with dozens of healthy options for state agencies to order and distribute through USDA’s nutrition assistance programs. And every year, foods are added or removed from the list based on customer demand and market conditions. Some offerings are modified to improve nutrition content or make the product and its packaging easier to work with in the kitchen or more acceptable to kids.
USDA Publishes Guide to Help Corner Stores Sell Healthier Foods
We all hear the recommendations on healthier eating and the advice we get from experts on health. But eating healthy is not as easy as simply following everything we hear from doctors and nutritionists. Sometimes, access to healthier food choices is limited by one’s neighborhood. Other times, the food choices for fresher and more nutritious items are simply not financially attainable.
SNAP E&T Boosts Job Skills, Transforms Lives
On a recent trip to California, I took part in a wonderful event in San Francisco’s Mission District – also known as “The Mission” – one of the most racially and economically diverse areas in the nation. After parking the car, Jesus Mendoza Jr., Regional Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service’s Western Region, escorted me to a room buzzing with activity and excitement.
Harvest Time: Celebrating Native American Heritage and Traditional Foods in FDPIR
Autumn is a time to reflect on all that we have to be thankful for, as we enjoy the harvest of nature’s bounty during gatherings with family and friends. In Indian Country, culture and tradition are sustained through shared meals with family and the community.
Colorado Proud School Meal Day Features Local Yak, Peaches, Potatoes and More!
Posted by Andrea Northup, Farm to School Regional Lead, USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Mountain Plains Regional Office and Anjali Budhiraja, Public Affairs Specialist, USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Mountain Plains Regional Office , on October 24, 2016 at 10:00 AM From locally-raised yak burgers to school garden-grown zucchini, Colorado schools kicked off the school year with farm to school gusto! On September 14, an estimated 550 schools reaching 160,700 students celebrated Colorado...
Small Steps for Using the USDA Farm to School Census
Cross-posted from the National Farm to School Network website: Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released final results from the 2015 USDA Farm to School Census, showing that more than 42,000 schools across the country are operating farm to school programs and another 10,000 have plans to start in the future.
Des Moines Farmer’s Market Offers Bumper Crop of Healthy Options for SNAP and WIC Clients
They show up early and eager to capture the freshest produce Iowa farmers have to offer. The Des Moines, Iowa Downtown Farmer’s Market held Saturday mornings from May to October is a success in terms of the variety of fresh produce it offers, the local economic benefits, and in the opportunities it provides for SNAP and WIC clients to utilize their benefits in healthy new ways. At the start of National Farmers Market Week Aug.
SNAP Farmers Market Webpage Streamlined, Updated
Expanding access to the healthy foods available at farmers markets and farm stands for those participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has been – and continues to be – a USDA priority. For several years now, we’ve provided funding to equip farmers markets and direct marketing farmers with the electronic technology they need to redeem SNAP benefits. The results speak for themselves. In 2008, there were only 753 SNAP-authorized markets and farmers.
Next Steps for Team Up for School Nutrition Success
Over the past year, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service partnered with the Institute for Child Nutrition (ICN) to host seven regional workshops called Team Up for School Nutrition Success. The two day, face-to-face workshops used a research-based mentorship model to educate and empower school nutrition professionals around the country. Each training was tailored to the specific needs of that region. Topics included everything from menu planning to financial management and meal presentation.
Seminole Sprint Puts the FUN back in Fundraising
The following guest blog is part of our Cafeteria Stories series, highlighting the efforts of hard working school nutrition professionals who are dedicated to making the healthy choice the easy choice at schools across the country. We thank them for sharing their stories! By Tom Adam, Physical Education Teacher and Wellness Champion at Spout Springs School of Enrichment Those of us who work in schools know that the lunch line is not the only place where kids get their calories at school.
Farm to Preschool Helps Healthy Habits Take Root Early
“May I have more kale chips, please?” asked a four-year old preschooler during one of my first site visits as farm to school lead for the Food and Nutrition Service’s Western Region. The preschoolers I was visiting grew and harvested the kale themselves a few feet beyond their classroom door and were enjoying the crisp treat as a snack. At the time, the USDA Farm to School Program was just beginning to expand their support to K-12 schools.
A Case Study in Wellness at PS 145 - Supporting Schools and Supporting Nutrition Standards
The following guest blog, part of our Cafeteria Stories series, highlights the work of Wellness in the Schools, a non-profit organization working on school nutrition in New York City. Organizations such as this can be a great resource for teachers and students in creating healthier school environments.
Summer Meal Programs Offer Nutrition, Combat Hunger for America’s Children and Teens
Summer vacation is something all kids look forward to, but unfortunately hunger doesn’t take a vacation. More than 21 million American children and teens depend on free or reduced-price school meals during the school year, and when school cafeterias close, many of them lose their most important source of balanced nutrition and are at risk of going hungry.
How MyPlate Inspired One California Student to Make a Difference on her College Campus
We love hearing success stories from our MyPlate On Campus Ambassadors! Over 3,450 students, representing all 50 states, have signed on to take part in the MyPlate On Campus initiative, USDA’s effort to promote healthy eating on college campuses nationwide through peer-to-peer education. Read below about how one group of passionate students is helping to spread the MyPlate message.
Child and Adult Care Food Program Reaches Far and Wide
During National Nutrition Month, we’re excited to highlight the many ways federal nutrition assistance programs benefit vulnerable Americans. At USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, we often get the chance to discuss how WIC and our school lunch and breakfast programs boost the nutritional lives of millions.
Partnership, Technology Help Forge a Healthier Next Generation
We all benefit from creative partnership. It’s especially true when some very savvy people leverage USDA Food and Nutrition Service programs to fight hunger and improve nutrition. Text2BHealthy is one such example, where the University of Maryland-led program uses popular technology to inspire healthy eating habits for low-income families. Established three years ago by the University of Maryland Extension, Text2BHealthy links in-school nutrition programs to healthy behaviors at home.
What’s Cooking with USDA Foods?
This is the second installment of the What’s Cooking? Blog Series. In honor of the Let’s Move 5th Anniversary, and the commitment USDA shares with Let’s Move to promote healthy eating and access to healthy foods, this month-long series will highlight the various features of the What’s Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl recipe website. Family gatherings and potlucks are traditional places to be on the lookout for new recipes to add to your collection. With the recent launch of the What’s Cooking?
USDA Foods Hatches New Chicken Product for Schools
School lunches have evolved since many of our childhood days to keep pace with new dietary guidelines and school meal patterns, but one food has been an enduring component: chicken. The popular protein graces the center of the plate in a variety of forms and flavors, and the new USDA Foods unseasoned chicken strip provides school nutrition professionals with a versatile and healthy option to add to their recipes.
Culinary Boot Camps: Designed to Foster a Healthier Next Generation
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.
Green Thumbs near Green Bay: Menominee Tribe Cultivates Nutrition Education
Cooking knowledge, proper planning, and access to healthy foods are essential ingredients to healthy diets. I witnessed this firsthand when I traveled to the food distribution center of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, one of the 20 Indian Tribal Organizations that received funding in 2014 from USDA’s Food Distribution Program Nutrition Education (FDPNE) grants.
Getting Students Involved in Wellness
Today’s Cafeteria Stories contribution comes from Dr. Robert Lewis of the El Monte School District in Southern California. Dr. Lewis describes the success that his urban school district has had with involving students in wellness. His district currently has 14 schools with Silver HealthierUS School Challenge awards. At El Monte City School District, our students are actively involved in setting wellness goals, mentoring others, and participating in taste tests.
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