Food - Help Make it Happen

Get involved in promoting healthy food access and consumption in Chicago:

Shop at corner stores that sell healthy items like low-fat dairy and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Encourage corner stores that don't sell healthy items to carry them.
Say no to unhealthy foods that are being marketed to your family.
Over $1.6 billion per year is spent marketing food to children. Skip highly processed packaged food
and direct your children to healthier options.
Replace whole milk with low-fat (1%) or non-fat (skim) milk. Save the calories from fat without giving up calcium and other nutrients. If your local store does not carry low-fat or non-fat milk, let them know you will purchase it if they stock it.
Use a healthy vending toolkit to learn how to bring healthy vending to
your workplace.

Choose healthy vending options - look for low-fat and low calorie items. Find out how healthy your favorite vending snack is using Snackwise.

Bring snacks from home to your workplace if your vending options are not
yet healthy.

Promote a culture of health and fitness at your workplace. Here are some tips to help plan healthy meetings and events.

Share ideas for a healthy workplace with your boss. He or she will appreciate it - obesity among employees can be costly for employers, both in health care costs and lost productivity at work.

Buy fresh, local food - find some here.
Support local farmers' markets and enjoy tasty seasonal produce - find your
nearest one here.
Cook at home more - cooking meals allows you to have control over the ingredients and portion sizes. Use fresh local ingredients when possible.
Follow CLOCC's 5-4-3-2-1 Go!® daily recommendations for healthy eating and physical activity for children and families.
Plant a vegetable garden. Gardening can provide you with exercise, enjoyment...and delicious fresh food! Here are some tips to get you started.
Check out programs that promote healthy eating on the CLOCC website.