Skip to main content
Food!

Good Food Force Update: Dietary Guidelines, film screenings, caption contest & more!

April 6, 2015
Karen Showalter's picture
Karen Showalter
Add your voice to the comments
Greetings! This week we're talking about the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and sharing details of exciting conversations happening online and on the ground. Enjoy! 
 
1. HOT LINE
Important updates to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans!
Love nutrition facts labels? We do too! And DYK? Those labels are based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are being updated this year! The new guidelines will include the latest expert recommendations around calories, fat, sugars and more. But some in the food industry are fighting these important and healthy updates. Join us in telling the US Department of Agriculture that moms support updating the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 
 
Host a Meet Up to watch Cafeteria Man & talk about healthy kids and communities this spring! 
Passionate about healthy food? Enjoy hanging out with friends who are too? Sign up to host a screening of the film Cafeteria Man this spring! The film is an inspirational snapshot of efforts to bring healthy foods to Baltimore schools. We'll provide the film, helpful tips and even healthy snacks! And join us on 4/23 for a Google+ Live Hangout with the star of the film, Tony Geraci! Check out a preview of the film, and contact Karen (karen@momsrising.org) if you'd like to host a screening! 
 
Quick links:
  • New study from Berkeley Media Studies Group and the Public Health Advocacy Institute analyzes how the tobacco industry has used "freedom of choice" language to prevent litigation and blame consumers for the health consequences of using tobacco. Also looks at implications for other industries like soda and junk food.
  • Op-ed: Don't be a casualty of the war of sweet subterfuge. Dr. Robert Lustig argues: "Cigarettes are toxic. They have warning labels. Alcohol is toxic. It has warning labels. Well, guess what? Sugar is toxic at the doses we are currently consuming. And half of it comes from a single source: soft drinks. It's time for a warning label."
  • County Health Rankings and Roadmaps new rankings of the healthiest to unhealthiest counties in each state. 
  • New video from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation highlights food access and eating habits in the South, as well as why it's so important to offer healthy food in schools. 
 
2. JOIN THE CONVERSATION 
Connect, learn and share this month:
  • April 3: #FoodFri Tweetchat: Teens Fight for Food Justice! This week we’re chatting about teens bringing fresh ideas and unwavering commitment to building healthy communities. Join @MomsRising, @YoutHealSchools, @PadresyJovenes, and @RethinkNOLA on #FoodFri today at 1pm ET. More info.
  • April 18: Good Food Force Meet Up in Detroit! Connect with other Detroit Moms and join a lively conversation about local food issues impacting the health of our kids. Also bring your Healthy School Lunch ideas to share and demo for other Moms! Sat 4/18, 11:30am-2pm. Healthy lunch provided. Please RSVP to beatriz@momsrising.org.
  • April 23: Google+ Event: A Conversation with Tony Geraci aka The Cafeteria Man! Thurs 4/23, 7:30pm ET. Mark your calendars, and more info coming soon!
  • On the Good Food Force Facebook Group: discussions on healthy holiday celebrations, including non-candy alternatives in Easter Egg hunts, yummy meals for Passover, and more! Join us!
 
3. STUDY HALL 
More facts on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Feel free to re-use these in blogs, newsletters, etc. More details on the blog. 

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) are an important tool for helping families, schools and communities stay healthy. They serve as the basis for national nutrition advice, programs like school breakfast and lunch, and policies like food labeling. The guidelines are being updated this year, and an Advisory Committee has just issued recommendations which include:  

  • Reducing consumption of added sugars, and adding a line on added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label that includes a percentage of a Daily Value. 
  • Limiting sodium intake. 
  • Developing additional measures to encourage consumption of fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet. 
  • Developing policies to promote water as the primary beverage of choice. 
  • Recognizing sustainability as an essential component of federal dietary guidance. 
  • Recognizing a broad range of factors, including policy and environmental approaches, that influence people’s diet and weight-related behaviors.
 
4. RECESS
Caption Contest! 
These moms are fired up for healthy foods! What should their banner say? Share ideas in the GFF Facebook page, or by replying to this email. Winning idea gets a Good Food Force swag bag! 

Have a great week!

Be sure to sign up for the Good Food Force to get these updates delivered straight to your inbox! 
 
Good Food Force (GFF) Volunteers are real-life superheroes who take action in their schools and communities, and/or on their blogs and online networks, to get the word out about healthy school foods, junk food marketing to kids, and strategies that are working to reduce childhood obesity. Together with MomsRising.org staff, they help advocate for healthier kids and families. Help spread the word! Contact us: karen@momsrising.org 
 

The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of MomsRising.org.

MomsRising.org strongly encourages our readers to post comments in response to blog posts. We value diversity of opinions and perspectives. Our goals for this space are to be educational, thought-provoking, and respectful. So we actively moderate comments and we reserve the right to edit or remove comments that undermine these goals. Thanks!