Parents

Parents and caregivers are the most influential people in children's lives. They shape behavior by the choices they offer, and the examples they set. They can:

• Guide their children's health choices while they are too young to make informed choices alone by offering them healthful meals and snacks. More and more convenience foods are available that can easily be made part of a healthy diet.

• Teach healthy behaviors with fun learning activities. USDA has developed nutrition education, both through Team Nutrition and the Eat Smart. Play Hard. ™ campaign, that parents can used to motivate kids and their families to improve their diets and increase their physical activity. 

• Encourage fitness by walking to school with children, and organizing and supporting sports and other fun physical activity.

• Lead by example. Currently 6 in 10 adults are overweight. Children learn from what parents do at least as much as what parents say. Parents should eat with their children and model good eating and activity practices.

Schools

Schools shape the attitudes and habits of students who live and learn in them in myriad ways. All those involved in schools must work together to create an environment there that fosters healthy eating and physical activity:

• School foodservice workers can make healthful meals more appealing to students using USDA resources such as our Fruits and Vegetables Galore kit.

• Teachers can use USDA educational materials to build nutrition and physical education into their curricula.

• School administrators can encourage or require vending machine operators, school canteens, and a la carte meal services to improve their offerings. Our Making it Happen guide describes a wide range of successful efforts to improve nutrition environments kind by schools across the country.

• USDA will challenge schools to better address the problems of childhood obesity and overweight. Our HealthierUS Schools Challenge builds on USDA's Team Nutrition with new school-wide nutrition standards. The initiative will showcase those schools that meet them and encourage others to follow their lead.

• USDA is also offering healthy new snack choices to students. A new Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, made a permanent part of the school meals programs by legislation President Bush signed this year, makes free fresh and dried fruits and fresh vegetables available at schools in 8 States and 3 Indian reservations.

Communities

Broader environmental factors influence our children's behavior. These other influences can also be used to support better diets and more active lifestyles:

• Families and communities can work together to make school environments better by supporting healthy eating and physical activity. USDA's Changing the Scene action kit promotes such efforts; many major school districts have already taken action.

• Parents, school administrators, teachers and local communities can promote children's health through new local wellness policies. Recent legislation will encourage the development of school wellness committees to develop goals and plans for nutrition education, physical activity, and other activities. USDA will work with schools to implement this provision over the next two years.

• The food industry can develop and market more healthful food and beverage choices to children. Many industries are already seeing these opportunities.

• The media can help by promoting nutrition and physical activity during times that truly reach children and their caregivers.

USDA School Meals 

Resources