LEARNING TO GARDEN WITH LET’S MOVE!

LEARNING TO GARDEN WITH LET’S MOVE!

Families, schools, and communities across the country can all take part in our newest initiative to get our children healthy. We’ve put together a new Let’s Move! gardening section that provides expert tips and handy checklists for school, kitchen, and community gardening with easy to follow steps (and printable pages) that you can share with people you know and encourage them to garden, too.

Check out the new Let’s Move! gardening section:

YOU’RE INVITED: A “STATE DINNER” JUST FOR KIDS

Calling all kid chefs: The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge invites parents of kids ages 8-12 to submit an original recipe for a lunch that is nutritious and delicious. All entrants have the chance to win a trip to Washington D.C. and the opportunity to be invited to attend a Kids’ “State Dinner” at the White House in August.

Learn more about the Kids’ “State Dinner” and submit a recipe.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Last Friday Sam Kass, Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives, answered questions via Twitter during a special session of White House Office Hours. If you missed the live event, check out the full Q&A on Let’s Move! or at Storify.com, and tune in for upcoming office hours.

A new report published by the USDA’s Economic Research Service shows that eating healthy isn’t necessarily more expensive — it depends how you measure the cost of food. Researchers concluded that although healthy foods are more expensive when priced per calorie, they are less expensive than most protein foods, foods high in saturated fat, and foods with added sugar and/or sodium when priced by either edible weight or average portion.

GET ACTIVE TIP OF THE WEEK

Parents and caregivers can set a great example for the whole family by creating a healthy environment at home. Here’s one example: set a house rule limiting screen time to one to two hours every day. Time spent in front of the TV or computer screen is time better spent being physically active.

EAT HEALTHY TIP OF THE WEEK

Buy vegetables that are in season for maximum flavor at a lower cost. Check your local supermarket specials or visit your local farmer’s market and savor the flavor of fresh summer produce.

BLOG HIGHLIGHTS

Soccer Steps Up: Let’s Move! Hosts LA Galaxy and Young Soccer Fans On May 15th, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed MLS Cup Champions the LA Galaxy to the White House. President Obama honored the team’s 2011 season and their MLS Cup victory, and the First Lady hosted a question and answer session during which the players discussed getting active, eating right and keeping healthy with an audience of young, talented soccer fans from around the country.

“Weight of the Nation”: What’s Weighing Heavily On Our Health Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hosted “Weight of the Nation,” a forum recognizing the progress of policy changes and the role of environmental strategies in obesity control and prevention. In his remarks (PDF), Sam Kass, White House Assistant Chef and Senior Policy Advisor on Healthy Food Initiatives, highlighted the simple wins that have made Let’s Move! such a success.

Grilled White House Pizza “Sweet potatoes add welcome texture to pizza — and they’re delicious with tomato sauce!” — Cristeta Comerford and Sam Kass, executive chef and assistant chef of the White House