Today the USDA implemented new nutritional standards for school lunches, including allowing the two tablespoons of tomato paste on frozen pizza to count as a serving of vegetables. Yep, according to our government, pizza is a vegetable. more ›

New research from the New England Journal of Medicine revealed the not so startling news that potato chips rank as the worst snack food for your health ahead of candy, soda and ice cream. more ›

When the Los Angeles Unified School District's dairy contract expires on June 30, superintendent John Deasy plans to recommend spilling flavored milk -- chocolate and strawberry -- off the menus of 650,000 meals served daily by LAUSD. Currently, 60% of the milk consumed by L.A. Unified students is flavored, according to the LA Times. more ›

Another great pyramid has been lost to the sands of time. Wave goodbye to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s iconic "food pyramid" and say hello to MyPlate, a new campaign pushing nutrition via a highly simplified, Simon-esque pie chart. more ›

The Los Angeles Unified School District has flat out rejected the offer of Chef Jamie Oliver's reality television school nutrition makeover show Food Revolution to help them transform their lunches into good food that is good for the students, according to the LA Times. "Our feeling was that his time would be better spent or invested in other communities," said a representative from the Superintendent's office yesterday. more ›

New York City, Boston, Philadelphia have all done it, but California this week will become the first state to ban trans fat from restaurants. Assembly Bill 97, which worked its way through the state legislatures and signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2008 finally becomes law New Year's Day, reports the Sacramento Bee. more ›

Pet hotels, pet groomers, pet spas, and pet boutiques cater to the needs of dogs and cats--or rather their owners' needs--for the finer things in life. The OC Register profiles Carrie Hyde, the owner of The Spaw, which is a a dog daycare and grooming business in Tustin, as she preps to open up her latest pet-venture, which is described as a "Whole Foods for dogs and cats." more ›

Tender Greens recently launched a line of house-made energy bars and they sent some our way for a little taste test. Since the eatery is focused on providing patrons with sustainable eats served in an eco-friendly and fast-casual environment, creating whole-food bars that people can grab on the go is a pretty natural move for them. The GoBars were created by TG's Chef Fermin Arias, and have an ingredient base of toasted nuts, organic rolled oats, puffed rice, dates, flax seeds and almond butter, boosted by the addition of bites and bits that make their three flavors: Blueberry & White Chocolate, Chocolate Espresso Bean, and Tropical Fruit. more ›

A new nutritional information and menu labeling law will take effect next Wednesday, forcing many restaurants in the state to provide facts about the food they serve. Split into two phases, the first one next week states that restaurants with 20 or more locations in California must provide brochures at the point of purchase with number of calories, grams of saturated fat, grams of carbohydrates and milligrams of sodium for all standard menu items. more ›

California's Department of Public Health and the California Conference of Local Health Officers released their annual report on the state of our health late this week, and it looks like "Los Angeles County residents are less likely to die of lung cancer, suicide or car crashes than residents of most other California counties - but more likely to die from heart disease and diabetes, according to the Daily News. In fact, our county "ranked 48 out of 58 in deaths from heart disease and 46 in diabetes." more ›

Let’s start with the fact that everything in the Universe is made of matter and energy. And, since we have all seen “The Secret”, we know that all energy vibrates. But, did you know that all individuals (whether it be plant or animal) has its own unique vibration; that each of us has a vibration that is as unique as our fingerprints or a snowflake? And then within each of us, every gland, organ or invading organism (such as a virus or bacterium) has its own vibrational value. So what if someone figured out that they could determine problems with your health, using those vibrations? more ›

If you know about lifecasting, then you probably know or even follow iJustine or the self promoting Julia Allison (if you read Wired Magazine, you'll remember that cover of her). And more than likely, you might know about Mary Rambin of Allison's lifecasting harem. more ›

The Glendale Farmer's Market was the scene of an unlikely invasion yesterday, as senior citizens bused in from all over the San Fernando Valley showed up to trade in the vouchers issued to them by the state for fresh produce. According to the Glendale News-Press, approximately 500 seniors caused "near gridlock" on the sidewalk of Brand Boulevard and kept vendors on their toes. Many of the folks came "from independent assisted-living homes or were living alone on fixed incomes," and were issued each a booklet of state Department of Public Health vouchers worth $20, but only redeemable at local farmers markets. more ›

"Chain restaurants in California will have to display calorie counts with each menu item -- the first state law of its kind in the nation -- under legislation that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to sign today," reports the LA Times today about a bill by Valley Assemblyman Alex Padilla who says "the way Californians order food is about to change. All Californians will soon be empowered with reliable, accessible nutrition information... that will help them make more informed, healthier choices." The law begins July 1, 2009 for restaurants with 20 or more locations within the state. more ›

Simplicity is beautiful. Can't disagree with that. more ›

It is one of the simplest, freshest and most delicious snacks for a hot summer night. Straight from the farmers' market (or your neighbor's tree) to the fridge, a chilled orange is more than just nutritious, it's quenching. more ›

The Revolution is coming! K-12 LAUSD kids, look out! Your lunches are about to get a whole hell of a lot better--and better for you. more ›

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