Last week the Let’s Move Faith and Communities team hosted partners from across the country for a conference call on USDA’s new nutrition education resources. It was a packed hour. This year USDA has published the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the new MyPlate food icon, and online resources including the comprehensive www.Nutrition.gov for easy access to nutrition education and programs. Curious about how the conversation went? Check out the links below.
MyPlate is the new icon to prompt consumers to think about building a healthy plate at meal times and to seek more information to help them do that by going to www.ChooseMyPlate.gov. The icon is available for use in English and Spanish (MiPlato), and its messages are simple. Would you like to keep up with the latest materials? Sign up to be a community partner in the new Nutrition Communicators Network or follow MyPlate on twitter. If you’re already using MyPlate at your dinner table, take the MyPlate Fruits and Vegetables Video Challenge by signing up your friends, family, or organization to record a 30 second video of how you’re making MyPlate your plate. Your video could win up to $1,500 for being a great example for kids, eating at home, or eating away from home.
On the call, participants also heard from ACTIVE Life, a non-profit organization working to bring nutrition education to communities in Texas. ACTIVE Life is helping folks make their plates healthy is by teaching people how to shop on a budget through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Nutrition doesn’t have to be expensive, and ACTIVE Life is bringing that message to consumers through SNAP-Ed, a statewide program aimed at helping SNAP participants make healthy decisions when shopping with a SNAP card. Learn more about their story here.
What’s an easy way to remember these resources? Nutrition.gov serves as a gateway to reliable federal government information on food and nutrition, healthy eating and physical activity to help consumers make healthier food choices. Through its easy-to-remember name and web address, you can readily access food and nutrition materials from across federal government. Find links to helpful resources and stay current with the latest federal nutrition news and announcements. You can read short articles, written by Nutrition.gov Registered Dietitians, that break down topics like losing weight and smart food shopping into easy-to-understand ideas and easy-to-follow steps. You can also discover a host of federally developed Spanish language nutrition resources, from translations of the articles just mentioned to USDA’s MiPlato. And, if you can’t find a resource you’ve been looking for, just ask. The Nutrition.gov team is happy to answer questions and connect you to what you need.
Want to join us for next month’s call? Join Let’s Move Faith and Communities by contacting us at collaborate@usda.gov. Follow us on Twitter @Nutrition_gov to get nutrition tips and insights every day.