Like most moms, I try to do the best for my children. I worry about their well-being. I have two small children. My 10 year old daughter is in fifth grade and my five year old son is in first grade. When they are home, or we are out and about, I have a pretty good idea about what they are eating – both good and sometimes bad. We do the occasional fast food stop from time to time, but we try to limit those as much as possible.

Unfortunately, in the past, some of the food served in our children's school district can be labeled borderline fast food. We have looked at the menu schedules they bring home and have often been surprised that some of the items don’t seem that different than what fast food restaurants might serve. Those are definitely “pack a home meal” days, which can also be challenging. With the new USDA rules for healthy school meals, I am delighted that there is now an emphasis on healthy food choices! I feel so relieved that when I send my children to school with their lunch money, there will be a conscious effort underway to ensure that they are going to have a healthy and well-balanced meal while in school.

We are strong proponents of the mind and body connection, and along with nutritious meal choices, we also make sure that our children are involved in physical activities.  The activity our family has chosen that we all practice is Tae Kwon Do. My husband and daughter are black belts and my son and I are still working our way up the belt ranks. Aside from the amazing feeling of accomplishment, we have all learned the value of keeping our bodies fit; as a result, we've been much more mindful of our eating habits.

We have even gone skiing as a family, something I had sworn off years ago when I went and had a horrible time.  I did not realize you were supposed to be in good shape to be able to ski well.  Now we know and we love that we are in shape enough to ski.  These are just some ways that staying healthy has vastly improved our lives as a family.

We are so proud of Michele Obama and the strides she has made to remind all families in the United States (and by influence the world) the importance of maintaining a healthy and balanced life with the “Let’s Move!” campaign.  Implementation of the USDA school standards will further encourage children to lead healthier and fuller lives.

This post is part of the National School Lunch Week with Healthy Food! A MomsRising Blog Carnival. Take a moment to read and comment on these thoughtful blogs, then tell us your story. Our stories are powerful and are what led administrators to set these rules in place.