Let's Move Campaign

Remember that gardening and healthy eating book that the first lady's been penning? It finally has a name: today, Crown Publishers announced the book will be called American Grown: How the White House Kitchen Garden Inspires Families, Schools, and Communities. The tome will discuss how changing our eating habits can impact public health in America.

According to the book's pre-order page on Amazon, American Grown will drop on April 10, 2012, with a retail price of $30 (all proceeds will go to an as-yet-unnamed charity). More reported details: Australian food photographer Quentin Bacon is behind the 256-page book's images, and the ghostwriter is Lyric Winik, who also helped write Laura Bush's memoir.

Now that we've gotten a glimpse of the White House gardens, I personally can't wait to see what the White House recipes entail. Perhaps the first lady will include some other favorite Fall sides along with her beloved no-cream creamed spinach?

This afternoon, First Lady Michelle Obama will be joined by corporate chiefs from Walmart, Walgreens, Supervalu, and other national and regional chains to announce a new initiative to open or expand more than 1,500 retail stores in an effort to bring healthier food to underserved areas. It's the latest push in Obama's Let's Move! campaign to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity.

These changes, according to the Domestic Policy Council, will affect 9.5 million people and could create as many as tens of thousands of new jobs. As part of the campaign, Walmart will open 275 to 300 stores in food deserts between now and 2016 and continue its efforts to make premium, healthful foods like whole wheat pasta more affordable for low-income shoppers. Walgreens will expand its fresh fruit and vegetable offerings, among other nutritious options, to at least 1,000 stores.

The USDA defines a "food desert" as a place where 33 percent or 500 people (whichever is less) live more than a mile from a grocery store in an urban area, or more than 10 miles away in a rural area. Currently, 23.5 million Americans — 6.5 million of them children — live in low-income areas that are less likely to have affordable, wholesome foods.

How exciting that fruits and vegetables will soon be available in low-income retailers — drugstores, even — across the country. Still, it's hard not to question the incentives of America's retail giants. What do you think of the announcement?

• How to cook moist and tender chicken breasts. — The Kitchn
• Today marks the one-year anniversary of Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign. — Obama Foodorama
• An update on Grant Achatz's upcoming eateries Next and Aviary. — Eater Chicago
• A backstage look at Martha's appearance on Letterman. — The Martha Blog
• Four things you should not buy at Trader Joe's. — CBS MoneyWatch
• A brownie mix that's worthy of its steep price tag. — Chow
• Jimmy Fallon will be the guest judge on tomorrow's episode of Top Chef All-Stars. — The Feast
• Must make: granqueso and serrano ham macaroni and cheese. — 30 Days 30 Ways With Macaroni and Cheese

First Lady Michelle Obama has been working on her Let's Move! campaign for some time now. Last Friday, June 4, she kicked off a new part of the initiative, the Chefs Move! to Schools program, which encourages chefs to pair with local schools to provide cooking and nutrition advice. Despite the stagnant, 90-degree weather, more than 500 hundred participants, clad in their chef's whites, gathered on the South Lawn of the White House. Among those who attended? Media mogul Rachael Ray, Top Chef head judge Tom Colicchio, Iron Chef Cat Cora, nutritionist Ellie Krieger, and chefs Marcus Samuelsson and José Andrés.
“Children consume as many as half of their daily calories at school, and with more than 31 million children participating in the National School Lunch Program and more than 11 million participating in the National School Breakfast Program, good nutrition at school is more important than ever,” Mrs. Obama said in her remarks. “Chefs have tremendous power as leaders on this issue because of their deep knowledge of food and nutrition and their ability to deliver these messages in a fun and delicious way and I want to thank them for joining the Chefs Move to Schools campaign.”

Check out the first lady's (somewhat lengthy) address, and pictures of who was there, after the jump.

On June 4, at the South Lawn of the White House, Michelle Obama will officially launch the new Chefs Move to Schools Program, a call to action for the nation's chefs to partner with local schools, giving cooking and nutrition advice to educators, parents, and kids.

Chefs Move to Schools is a part of the First Lady's larger Let's Move! campaign to fight childhood obesity. The initiative, which Mrs. Obama and Food Initiative Coordinator Sam Kass announced on May 13, plans to match chefs with nearby schools. Hoping to spread the word, the administration has also employed the help of respected professional organizations such as the IACP and National Restaurant Association.

I was really bowled over by the success of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution and believe this similar concept has a lot of promise, especially with its grassroots approach. Are you excited about the new program?