Eat REAL Blog

Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving, and this year, falls on Tuesday, December 1st. It’s a moment amid the holiday season that showcases the power of people coming together to do good by supporting the causes they are passionate about, either financially or by sharing their message to amplify the mission. By supporting

2020 has been a challenging year for all – As we head toward the holiday season and end of the year, Eat REAL is taking time to reflect on all that we are grateful for, the amazing work we have accomplished, and our exciting plans for 2021. Our work wouldn’t be possible without the passionate

As our country comes together in a time of healing, Eat REAL helps communities by working with schools to increase real food access for children. Our certification program teaches the importance of healthful food and aides schools in transforming their meal programs so that all children can access real, healthful foods.   The healing power of

Meals made from scratch with nutritious, real food ingredients are better for our health and the health of our planet. Processed foods are energy-intensive to produce and often contain chemical additives that can harm human health and the environment. They are commonly packaged in plastic that ends up in landfills where it pollutes the planet

Reducing added sugar in your diet is the single most effective way to improve your metabolic health and reduce your risk of developing processed food-related diseases.

Hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity continue to rise in the United States as the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences rage on. School breakfast and lunch programs are critical for feeding children during the crisis as they serve more than 141 million meals each week. For millions of children, school meals account for up to

We’re celebrating National Farm to School Month to encourage systemic changes to our food system so that all children have access to real, nutritious foods critical to their overall health and wellness.

Eat REAL is pleased to announce that Mt. Diablo Unified School District (MDUSD) has completed their two and a half year journey to becoming Eat REAL Certified. Located in Contra Costa County, CA, the District is made up of 52 schools serving over 31,000 students. MDUSD worked hard to overcome numerous challenges through a rigorous

Today begins National School Lunch Week, celebrating our school heroes and the essential programs they manage. Amidst a global pandemic and economic uncertainty, school meal programs are now more important than ever.  The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) serves nearly 30 million children every school day. With unemployment continuing to rise, these meals have become

JOINED BY REAL FOOD ADVOCATE CHEF DOMINIQUE CRENN NONPROFIT EAT REAL ISSUES ALERT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF NUTRITION IN THE BATTLE AGAINST COVID-19

Our broken food system has led to an obesity epidemic and left millions of Americans with chronic food insecurity. Poor diet and diet-related illnesses are not the results of bad individual choices – inequitable access to healthy food is to blame. Millions of Americans cannot afford fresh produce and high-quality proteins due to economic oppressors

The food we eat is one area of our lives where small choices can make a massive impact.

School food service professionals have been essential in feeding America’s at-risk youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of children rely on school programs for the majority of their nutritional and caloric intake. Our school food heroes facilitated summer meal programs throughout the pandemic and are now working to deliver these vital meals in remote and

“Be a force for good for the people you wish to serve.”
–Nikkia Reveillac, Head of Research at Twitter

School meal services are more critical than ever as food insecurity grows due to the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. With many kids going back-to-school in a remote learning environment, fewer at-risk students are receiving school meals. 96% of the school foodservice providers Eat REAL surveyed believe that food insecurity is increasing, while 81%

The United States Department of Agriculture has extended waivers to provide free meals to all students 18 and under through December 2020. The welcomed action is in response to growing food insecurity due to the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. 100% of the foodservice providers we surveyed agree that universal school breakfast and lunch

Basic nutrition is a human right that all children in America deserve. The recent New York Times Magazine article, “America at Hunger’s Edge,” highlights the broken system – exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic – that leaves millions of Americans with chronic food insecurity. Access to healthful food has become a privilege that one in eight

The COVID-19 CRISIS GOES BACK-TO-SCHOOL:
Universal School Lunch, Increasing Food Insecurity, Budget Impacts of COVID-19
Among Top Concerns for School Food Service Providers

Eat REAL Board Members Tesha McCord Poe and Dr. Alan Greene’s Op-ed feature in Fast Company.

Originally Posted on The Farmlink ProjectBy Olivia Groell August 25, 2020 On August 5th, The Farmlink Project and Eat REAL worked together to launch The Farmlink Project’s new initiative of “students helping students.” This is how Nora LaTorre, CEO of the public health nonprofit organization Eat REAL, described the concept of college students facilitating the

The USDA announced the extension of free school meals for all children through Dec 31, 2020

https://youtu.be/k7UXuGPuC_g Optimizing your immune system is the metabolic version of “work smarter, not harder”.  As Dr. Greene talks about in his video above, by feeding and treating your body right you allow your immune system to really focus on keeping you healthy and protecting your body against harmful viruses and other pathogens. He offers 4

It’s hard to believe we are nearing the end of another month. The world is full of uncertainty and difficulty, but our team is focusing and working harder than ever on Eat REAL’s model to nourish and heal our communities and planets.  COVID-19 Support Program  To date, we’ve connected a network of 2,067 schools/ 85

For millions of children across the country, school meals contribute up to 50% of their daily caloric intake. The impact these meals have on their development and day to day health is even more significant than previously thought. In 2013, the Obama-Era Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act went into effect. This legislation increased the nutritional

The launch of our Summer Virtual Volunteer Intern Program was an incredible success, furthering our community engagement and shaping our youth outreach program.  Six interns joined us to create educational social media campaigns for their peers, inspired by the Eat REAL standards. Their projects highlighted the importance of eating real whether through incorporating more plant-based

Five Northern California School District Food Service directors and teams met with our team to discuss current challenges, collaborate on solutions, and work together to ensure their students would continue to have access to nutritious meals throughout the upcoming school year.

Kicking off the final week of our intern program, guest speaker, Dr. Riva Robinson led our intern cohort through an inspiring conversation of self-value by outlining her five truths she wished she’d known as a young adult. We appreciate how she takes a holistic approach to health integrating healthy eating, active lifestyle, mindful moments, connections,

NONPROFITS EAT REAL AND FARMLINK PARTNER WITH MT. DIABLO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT & USDA TO DISTRIBUTE OVER 19,040 POUNDS OF FRESH PRODUCE TO FAMILIES IN NEED.

Eat REAL’s Dr. Alan Greene walks through masks safety and tips to ensure you are wearing and using your mask properly. We also have an exciting update on our mask distribution program!

Black lives matter. We stand for equality and justice. Racism and ignorance are never okay. We will listen, learn, stand up, and do the work necessary together to create lasting change.

Grant provides an opportunity for Eat REAL to increase safe food access for low-income communities during the COVID-19 crisis

Moms and mother figures around the country are achieving what can seem impossible during this pandemic. We at Eat REAL, are making sure they know they have other options. You can help by donating today.

You’ve helped us deliver thousands of masks per week to frontline workers and volunteers in a network of >1,500 schools – thank you!

We are all about inspiring families to boost their immune systems through healthy eating. Now, more than ever is the time to get in the kitchen, try new things, and celebrate the joy of cooking. To help bring that inspiration and fun, we’re excited to announce that over ten incredible chefs, artists, athletes, and companies

We believe in the power of design thinking. We’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is for COVID-19 relief efforts. Learn how we leveraged design thinking to launch the #RainbowTacoChallenge in partnership with IDEO here: https://www.ideo.com/post/help-promote-food-access-for-families-in-need Share this post Share on facebook Share on google Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on pinterest Share on

Eat REAL’s K-12 certification program will support 185 more schools this and next school year as they continue to raise the bar towards more nutritious, delicious and sustainable meals for students