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Lunch Encounters of the Third Kind

The videos are clear: if you want a healthier America, take action. Every child deserves the opportunity to eat food in school that ensures their health and well-being and Farm to School programs are one solution to incorporating healthier foods into school meals.

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Roger Doiron and Deborah Kane Among the 10 "Most Inspiring People in Sustainable Food"

March 9: Two IATP Food and Society Fellows are included in Fast Company's list of inspiring people in sustainable food.

Meet the Fellows

Patty Cantrell

Patty Cantrell works on community-based economies and regional value chains in food systems at the Michigan Land Use Institute.

Fresh Ideas blog
Photo credit: Emily Hart Photography

Child Nutrition

February 2010 Research continues to support the assertion that unhealthy food environments are detrimental to the long-term health and educational success of children. Each dollar well spent on our children can provide enormous returns. It's time we take advantage of tremendous opportunities available to support healthy kids. Explore the current digest

Photo credit: Emily Hart Photography

WIC & SNAP 101 – How Do These Programs Work?
The federal government has two multi-billion dollar programs designed to alleviate hunger and poor nutrition; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (better known as WIC); and, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program). With the imminent reauthorization of the legislation for WIC, the Child Nutrition Act, now is the time to review how these programs work, and consider areas where improved coordination and possible integration are possible.
Applying for WIC and SNAP: Michigan’s Example
The nuts and bolts of applying for food assistance programs in Michigan.
Fresh Food, Just Around the Corner
The Local Foods Program at IATP is working with the MN Department of Health, distributors and corner store owners to increase access to fresh produce at corner stores across the state.
Healthy Habits: The Role of Snacks in Child Nutrition Reauthorization
We snack everyday, but rarely think about how or where we learned to snack. We now have an opportunity to influence millions of children to develop the habit of eating nutritious snacks that will support their growth and a healthy body weight by providing healthy snacks through the federal child nutrition programs.
State of the Union's School Lunch
The Child Nutrition Act is being debated in Congress right now, which means we have a rare opportunity to actually improve how food for our youngest citizens is funded, sourced, defined, and prioritized. A reformed school lunch, with improved nutrition standards, increased reimbursement rates, and access to local healthy food, has the potential to nourish more than 31 million children daily in our education system; that is, 5 days a week, 180 days a year of our collective future. Let's take this opportunity to nourish the nation, one tray at a time.