Posted by Elyse Cohen, Deputy Director, Let's Move! on July 11, 2013
Did you know that what you choose to eat each day is the greatest predictor of you living a long, healthy life?
According to a new study released by the University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), poor diet and nutrition were the leading causes of disease burden in the US and contributed to more health loss in 2010 than smoking, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar.
On Tuesday, winners of Epicurious’ Healthy Lunchtime Challenge visited the White House for the second annual Kids’ State Dinner. A few of the winning healthy recipes were served at the lunch – and First Lady Michelle Obama loved them!
Now, it’s your turn. We’ve posted all 54 recipes on LetsMove.gov – and they’re so tasty, you’re going to want to try them at home. So break out your chef hat and get cookin’!
Posted by Dr. Howard K. Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on July 10, 2013
Later today, Mayors and local elected officials will gather at a White House event to recognize the work of Let’s Move! Cities Towns, and Counties. These local elected officials have led the nation by pioneering commitments to improve the health of children in their communities.
Be sure to check out the live stream of the event, starting at 1 pm, at obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/live.
Posted by Elyse Cohen, Deputy Director, Let's Move! on July 8, 2013
Tomorrow, the First Lady will host the 54 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winners and their parent/guardian for the second annual Kids’ State Dinner here at the White House! Be sure to catch all the action straight from the East Room as we bring you live stream coverage of what Mrs. Obama has touted as “one of my favorite events we’ve ever done for Let’s Move!”
Posted by Samantha Mastrati, Rhode Island on July 8, 2013
“This lunch is brimming with the flavors of an Italian vegetable garden and is very nutritious. We love Italian food and the salsa is something we can make with vegetables from our garden,” says Samantha. “It’s very tasty with chicken combined with the crunchy coating.” Her lunch also includes a 1/2 cup of strawberries, 1 ounce of whole-grain flatbread crackers, and an 8-ounce glass of fat-free milk.
Posted by Emma-Kate Schaefer, Arkansas on July 8, 2013
"I created this recipe because I love to eat healthy. Quinoa is a grain and was grown about 5,000 years ago in the Andes Mountains. This grain is tasty and it's combined with my favorite vegetables, shrimp, and pineapple," says Emma-Kate. "This is a fun healthy lunch for school. I would serve it with a glass of 2% milk." - Emma-Kate Schaefer, age 8, Arkansas
Posted by Kindall Sewell-Murphy, Alabama on July 8, 2013
"I love salad!! And me and my aunt were playing around in the kitchen and combined two of our favorite recipes," says Kindall. "I would include on the side a whole wheat tortilla because all the other food groups are in it!" - Kindall Sewell-Murphy, age 10, Alabama
"I came up with this because it's a dish that has mostly fresh fruits and vegetables. It also has Alaskan fish and Alaskan spot prawns, which is the best seafood in the world. These are all things that I like," says Rowan. "I would put whole-grain tortilla chips and low-fat milk to balance it out for a healthy meal." - Rowan Bean, age 9, Alaska
"When my little brother Galen was a baby, he was allergic to a lot of foods. He couldn't eat wheat, dairy, or eggs. That meant no pizza or macaroni and cheese. My mom spent a lot of time trying to find nutritious foods that he could eat," says Rose. "She used to serve a pork and tofu dish over rice. I was inspired by that dish when I made this recipe.
Posted by John Breitfelder, Connecticut on July 8, 2013
"My mom's side of the family is Italian and we all love cooking together," says John. "For years, my mom has been hiding vegetables in our risottos. Now that I've caught on to her sneaky ways, I've kicked it up a notch and added quinoa in place of rice. This is now one of my favorites -- and it's gluten-free, too!
Posted by Ingrid Lamberg, District of Columbia on July 8, 2013
"The way I came up with my recipe was that I read the rules with my mom. We thought a little, jotted down some ideas, and came up with one we liked," says Ingrid. "And now I know for real that my mom and I make a really great cooking pair. The salmon recipe was my great-grandfather's recipe. But the salad recipe is mine. It's gluten-free, which is important, because I have celiac disease.
Posted by Nicholas Hornbostel, Colorado on July 8, 2013
"I have loved sushi since I was little! I wanted to make sushi something even healthier, and I did!" writes Nicholas. "I got the idea from thinking about eating sushi and then the next day I thought about eating salad. Then I put the two together and it equaled a sushi salad! That night we tested the recipe and it was amazing! My parents rated it a 9 and I was proud of myself.
"Noah's younger brother has serious health issues and making food that everyone can eat can be challenging," says Noah's mom, Hilary. "This recipe is gluten-free and vegan, things that many people often think mean sacrificing favorite comfort foods or flavor. It took us a while to create a pesto recipe that was tasty, super healthy, and easy to make. We finally created one that is packed with just about everything a growing body needs.
