Healthy Food Programs

Helping people of all ages make better food choices is the goal of a healthy food programs. Carrying out educational programs, distributing information on nutrition and serving meals are just some of the methods healthy food programs use to affect their target population. Eating healthier food gives you more of the nutrients your body needs and makes maintaining a healthy body weight easier. In the U.S., Colorado and the District of Columbia were the only states with an obesity prevalence of less than 20 percent.

Guidelines for School Health Programs

Written guidelines for school health programs created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stress education and social services. This government agency recommends schools follow the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans -- updated every five years -- as a primary information source. The program encourages students to exercise and choose foods made from fresh and natural ingredients. It encourages consuming a minimal amount of cholesterol, salt and sugar.

Child and Adult Care Food Program

The Child and Adult Care Food Program provides federal reimbursements to institutions for serving meals meeting the rules of the program. More than 3 million children and 114,000 impaired or older adults benefit annually. A formal review of the program released in November 2010 revealed it follows nutrition guidelines from 1989, ignoring new information from the USDA including the nutritional value of whole grains, low-fat proteins and healthy fats. The reviewers urge supervisors to reevaluate the program despite the anticipated rise in costs.

Downey Unified School District

A healthy food program carried out for more than 10 years by the Downey Unified School District in California encourages students join in more physical activities and to eat more fruits and vegetables. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, two dieticians run the lunch program at the district schools. This healthy food program introduces the students to a new fruit or vegetable each month, provides bilingual information on health and closely affiliates itself with local farmers.

Major Retailer Promises Healthier Food

Wal-Mart stores promote a healthy food program that includes stocking and lowering the price of healthy fruits and vegetables as well as other healthier food. This major retailer announced in January 2011 it would reduce the salt and sugar content of its packaged food. As part of a five-year plan, the company plans to place a logo on foods considered healthier.