How do you teach a child using a holistic approach to good nutrition and exercise? One Jewish Community Center in Akron, Ohio, piloted the Coordinated Approach to Children’s Health or CATCH, early childhood wellness program, to do just that. The CATCH program teaches school-age children about healthy eating and exercise, and does it in a way that is fun.    

First Lady Michelle Obama gives seeds to girls from Girl Scout Troop 60325 in Fairport, N.Y., as she joins students for the spring White House Kitchen Garden planting on the South Grounds, March 26, 2012.     Radishes generally aren’t the top request among kids for an after-school snack. It’s probably safe to say they probably don’t break into the top 10. Or 200. But there’s something about growing it yourself that creates a special connection. 

Are you a parent or caregiver that packs a lunch for your child to take to preschool? When your daughter comes home, are her carrot sticks still in the bag? Does your son eat his whole sandwich and tell you he was too full to eat his applesauce? Before you pack another lunch, take a minute to make sure you’re packing the right portion sizes of food. Healthy eating is not only about eating healthy food but also eating the right amount. Also, packing the right portion size of the main dish for preschoolers may be a strategy to help them eat more fruits and vegetables at lunch time. To find out how portion sizes affect what kids eat for lunch at preschool, Jennifer Savage from Pennsylvania State University and a team of researchers served lunch one day each week for 6 weeks to 17 kids ages 3 to 6 years old attending a full-day childcare. Each of the lunches had the same foods: a macaroni and cheese entrée, milk, and 3 sides (green beans, a whole-wheat roll, and unsweetened applesauce). The only difference in the lunches each week was the portion size of the macaroni and cheese. The smallest portion served was less than half a cup, and the largest portion was more than a cup and a half. 

Three years ago, I was asked to participate in the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity, out of which grew the First Lady’s Let’s Move! Initiative. In May 2010, we submitted a report to the President that made a series of recommendations for addressing the challenges of obesity and hunger, both of which stem from a lack of access to good, healthy food. The report identified local food systems as a strategy to combat food access problems, and specifically called upon the USDA Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Initiative to provide technical and financial assistance to help communities grow and process their own food, and create jobs at the same time. I’m pleased to report that we’ve made a lot of progress since 2009 – and we have two new tools to help communities learn about what we’ve done and tap into USDA resources to develop their own solutions. The new Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass is a document packed with photos, video and case studies of communities building strong local food systems. Farmers’ markets, mobile produce vendors, farm to school initiatives, and food hubs are just a few of many examples highlighted by the Compass. The Healthy Food Access section shows how communities are using USDA resources to promote health and the local economy.