Author Archive
Posted March 8th, 2013 by Kate Uslan
This story from Seaman High School in Topeka, Kansas shows that despite the best intentions of schools and the hard work of teachers, trying to create an environment with healthier vending choices can be extremely difficult and time consuming. National standards on competitive foods sold in schools would complement recent updates to the school meal [...]
Posted February 15th, 2013 by Kate Uslan
The USDA has released long-awaited guidelines for foods sold in school vending machines, snack carts and school stores. These guidelines will cover any snack item, side item or beverage sold outside of the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Programs. We at the Alliance for a Healthier Generation are excited to see these federal guidelines [...]
Posted February 1st, 2013 by Kate Uslan
Let’s be clear: I support giving children choices and empowering them to make good ones. Those are crucial life skills that need to be reinforced at home and at school. That being said, the adults at home and at school have a responsibility to make sure that the choices presented are all healthy choices. As [...]
Posted January 25th, 2013 by Kate Uslan
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, signed into law in December 2010, charged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with updating school food nutrition standards to reflect the latest nutrition science. Updates to the nutrition standards for school meals went into effect at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year, and schools across the country have [...]
Posted December 7th, 2012 by Kate Uslan
Jessica Johnson may be new to her position as the Food Service Director for Sycamore School District in Cincinnati but she is no novice when it comes to finding innovative ideas to keep her students and staff smiling. Since Johnson started her job just more than one year ago, she has had to work quickly [...]
Posted November 9th, 2012 by Kate Uslan
It is the time of year when families pull out cookbooks and decorations and think about who to invite for holiday celebrations. Along with these important decisions, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation encourages you to go into the holidays with a plan for keeping your family moving more and eating healthier during this time [...]
Posted October 26th, 2012 by Kate Uslan
Shocking though it may seem, the celebration of Halloween as a time to binge on candy is a recent phenomenon. For thousands of years this holiday has been a time to celebrate the transition from summer and the harvest to the start of the dark, cold winter. Of course this was often associated with death [...]
Posted October 5th, 2012 by Kate Uslan
Have you ever been taken off guard by a child’s question about weight? Like, “Mom, am I fat?” or “Can I go on a diet?” Many parents hear heartbreaking stories from their children about being teased on the bus or know that their child is worried about changing clothes in front of others for physical [...]
Posted September 12th, 2012 by Kate Uslan
DALLAS, TX — Since Hector P. Garcia Middle School joined the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program two years ago, nurse Sandra Coleman has been intent on making impactful changes. She is greatly concerned by the increase in childhood obesity rates and has learned that sometimes gradual changes and compromises are necessary to [...]
