School Nutrition's Strong4Life

This week's guest blogger is Trisha Hardy, Director, Child Wellness, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

As the school year comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on some of the strides we made improving school nutrition this year. With the help of the amazing nutritionists and administrators in Fulton County and the financial support of our friends at the Cigna Foundation, we launched our Strong4Life Nutrition Program across all Fulton County schools. 

While the schools were already making well-balanced, nutritious meals that met all federal guidelines, we provided simple and cost-effective practices to make healthy foods the items kids wanted to eat. For example, by placing veggies first in the hot line and moving snacks out of immediate reach, we increased the chance that the student will choose vegetables. Seem too easy? Well, sometimes it really is the simple things that can have the biggest impact when it comes to our kids’ health!  

As we look ahead to the 2012-13 school year, more changes will be coming. TheAetna Foundation has graciously donated the funds to extend the Strong4Life Nutrition Program to Cobb and DeKalb counties in Atlanta. We look forward to working with all the folks at the schools!

We are so grateful for all our partners and the support they provide to get and keep our Georgia kids healthy. Here's to a happy, healthy and Strong4Life summer break!

Strong4Life is a movement created by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to address the childhood obesity medical crisis that is threatening nearly one million kids in Georgia. For information about Strong4Life visit our website,Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Strong4Life Blog.