Farm to school education connects learning to the real world by helping students foster a deeper appreciation for local agriculture and healthy eating habits. Students experience and understand how nature supports life and the food they eat. Farm to school can take many forms, from classroom lessons to field trips in the school garden. Many…

American Indian (AI) communities experience persistent diabetes-related disparities, yet few nutrition interventions are designed for AI with type 2 diabetes or address socio-contextual barriers to healthy eating. We describe our process of adapting the evidence-based Cooking Matters® program for use by AI adults with type 2 diabetes in a rural…

The purpose of this article is to describe a tested teaching idea that can be implemented in elementary schools to introduce young children to fruits and vegetables that they may not be familiar with.

Nutrition insecurity is especially seen among historically underserved populations, such as those with limited financial resources. Funded by the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and conducted by Cooperative Extension through land-grant institutions in all U.S. states and territories and the District of Columbia, the…

Peer-reviewed research on the effectiveness of salad bars for increasing fruit and vegetable (F/V) intake is limited. This commentary discusses current evidence regarding the effectiveness of salad bars in increasing F/V selection and consumption, thereby reducing food waste. Key findings from this review of the research are that salad bars in…

The Alabama Champions for Healthy, Active Schools is a state-wide wellness initiative for grades K-12 that utilizes the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model. A champion school is encouraged to provide 60 minutes of physical activity throughout the academic day; provide nutritious meals, nutritious smart snacks, and nutrition…

Technology can be an effective vehicle for Extension nutrition education. Body Quest: Food of the Warrior is a childhood obesity prevention initiative of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System that successfully incorporates technology in the classroom. With Body Quest, students learn about healthful eating through blended learning involving both…

Fatherhood education has the potential to affect not only fathers' nurturant behaviors but also multiple dimensions of family life. The weGrill program blends fatherhood, youth development, and nutrition education, with food grilling as the focal activity. Grounded in multiple learning theories, the program helps fathers and their adolescent…

Across the world, development of health literacy skills with elementary school students improves health outcomes, reduces health risks, and increases academic success. As elementary school classroom teachers are often responsible for delivering the health curriculum to their students, this article examines ways to integrate health literacy with…

Nutrition has vital and long-lasting effects on children's development. Good nutrition helps children learn better and promotes lifelong healthy eating habits. Connecting current scientific research with best practices, "Rethinking Nutrition" provides information to help you meet and understand children's nutritional and developmental…

Although the primary focus of physical educators is to increase students' physical activity levels and their knowledge about the importance of movement, they also have the opportunity to affect students' overall wellness by teaching nutrition and how healthy eating contributes to overall health and weight management. Nutrition concepts…

Diet change toward eating less meat and more plant foods is advocated for reasons of health, environmental protection, and kindness toward non-human animals. This article is written for people who advocate meat reduction, regardless of whether their audiences are in schools, universities, organizations, or in the general public. However, the…

By now, we are all aware of the effect of super-sized food portions. Very young children regulate their food intake by internal cues (when they feel full) rather than by portion size. As children age, external cues have more influence than internal cues. Hence, larger portion sizes promote more energy intake in older children, leading to caloric…

Childhood overweight and obesity are major problems in the United States, with important consequences for our nation's health and economy. Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day, yet children, adolescents, and adults skip breakfast on a routine basis. This habit of breakfast skipping is related to weight gain, higher body mass…

Good nutrition is important for optimal athletic performance. Adolescent athletes often depend on their coaches for nutritional information on weight management, dietary supplements, and dietary practices. Some dietary practices, such as vegetarianism, have the potential to be harmful to the adolescent athlete if not followed with careful…