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Chicago Food Day

in The Too Busy to Diet Blog on October 26, 2014

Written by Claire Allen, MSCP Graduate Student at the University of Illinois at Chicago.  Food Day was a nationwide celebration that focused on healthy, affordable, and sustainably produced food, aiming to inspire Americans to change their diets and the country’s food policies.  This year marked the 4^th annual Food Day across the country, which was celebrated in Chicago on October 23^rd in the Daley Plaza.  Over 100+ Chicago Public School children attended the event to learn more about healthy food and smart eating habits.  The Chicago Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (CAND) participated by hosting a booth that focused on educating children on “Go, Slow, and Whoa foods.”  Go foods are foods that can be eaten all the time and include whole grains, low fat dairy products, lean meats and fruits and vegetables.  Slow foods are snacks that should be eaten only sometimes and in smaller serving sizes. These include snacks such as pretzels, unbuttered popcorn as well as white breads and pastas.  Whoa foods are foods that should only be eaten on special occasions or as a special treat. These foods are higher in sugar and fat and have very few nutrients. Whoa foods include fast food, cookies, cakes, candy, sodas, chips, and buttered popcorn.   Overall it was a very successful event and the CPS children left able to make smarter eating decisions about their snack choices going forward.