Schools take note: Put in a salad bar to help kids eat better

I love this little blurb that I read in the April 2010 issue of Cooking Light Magazine:

When UCLA researchers stuck salad bars in three elementary schools, they found that fruit and veggie consumption rose roughly 25 percent--a sign that poor eating habits at school may in part be the fault of poor selection, not resistance to fresh food.  Strikingly the healthy eating benefit persisted:  16 percent of total fruit and veggie consumption took place outside the lunch hour.

DETAILS

• The results of this study were published in the December 2007 issue of the Journal of Public Health Nutrition
• Three Los Angeles Unified Schools participated -- 337 children from grades 2 to 5
• Nutrition education was also offered

BOTTOM LINE

In our Healthy Parenting post about Food, we strongly recommended:

1. Get educated about food
2. Get the "crap" out of the house
3. Be patient

This study offers solid evidence that having healthy food choices is important.  Schools, parents, and any other organization that "feeds" kids should take note.  Start early and start at home!

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