Pulses: Bringing diversity to agrifood systems

Celebrating World Pulses Day 2025:

Pulses - Bringing Diversity to Agrifood Systems

Every February 10th, the world comes together to celebrate World Pulses Day, a tribute to the humble yet mighty pulses that nourish people and the planet alike. Established by the United Nations in 2018, this special day has been dedicated to raising awareness about the significant role pulses play in promoting sustainable agriculture, food security, and healthy diets worldwide.

What Are Pulses?
Pulses, also known as legumes, are the edible seeds of leguminous plants cultivated for food. This diverse group includes dried beans, lentils, chickpeas, and peas, staples in cuisines worldwide. Whether it's creamy hummus from the Mediterranean, savory Indian dal, or baked navy beans in a traditional English breakfast, pulses are cherished for their versatility, taste, and nutritional value.

Why Are Pulses Important?

1. Nutritional Powerhouses:
   Pulses are packed with essential nutrients, making them a vital source of protein, especially in regions where meat and dairy may be scarce or unaffordable. They are low in fat, rich in fiber, and loaded with vitamins and minerals like iron, potassium, and folate. Their high soluble fiber content helps manage cholesterol and blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Health organizations worldwide recommend pulses as part of a balanced diet to combat non-communicable diseases.

2. Ensuring Food Security:
   For farmers, pulses are more than just crops—they are lifelines. They provide a dual benefit: farmers can sell them for income while consuming them for household nutrition. This dual role strengthens food security, fosters economic stability, and empowers communities, particularly in vulnerable regions.

3. Environmental Champions:
   Pulses do more than nourish us; they also nourish the Earth. Thanks to their nitrogen-fixing properties, pulses naturally enrich the soil, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers. This lowers greenhouse gas emissions and promotes healthier, more biodiverse farmland. Pulses thrive in diverse cropping systems, supporting intercropping and cover cropping practices that improve soil health and resilience against pests and diseases.

World Pulses Day 2025 Theme: "Pulses: Bringing Diversity to Agrifood Systems"
This year's theme highlights the multifaceted contributions of pulses to enhancing diversity—from the farm fields to our plates. Pulses promote above- and below-ground biodiversity, offering over 100 varieties for farmers to integrate into crop rotations. Thus, they boost resilience against climate change and agricultural challenges. Our diets provide a rich, affordable source of protein that can be transformed into countless delicious, nutritious dishes.

Get Involved: Discover, Share, Celebrate
Join the global celebration of World Pulses Day by learning more about these remarkable crops. Visit the FAO website for stories, reports, and communication materials. Share what you learn on social media to spread the message of sustainability, health, and food security.

In Conclusion
Pulses may be small, but their impact is enormous. They sustain our bodies, support our farmers, and protect our planet. This World Pulses Day, let's celebrate their role in creating a healthier, more sustainable, and diverse agrifood system—one pulse at a time.

October 16, World Food Day - Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together

 World Food Day

Either we build a future for all, or
there will be no acceptable future for anyone.

World Food Day

World Food Day was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in November 1979. FAO celebrates World Food Day each year on October 16th, the day on which the Organization was founded in 1945.

The official World Food Day theme is announced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The goal is to focus on World Food Day observances and raise awareness and understanding of approaches to ending hunger. 

The 2024 theme, "Right to food for a better life and a better future  is a Human Right." 

World Food Day

 

Food is the essence of life and the bedrock of our cultures and communities. Preserving access to safe and nutritious food is and will continue to be an essential part of the response to, particularly for, poor and vulnerable communities.

In a moment like this, it is more important than ever to recognize the need to support our food heroes - farmers and workers throughout the food system - who ensure that food makes its way from farm to fork, even amid disruptions.

Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO's efforts—making sure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. 

The three main goals are the eradication of hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition; the elimination of poverty and the driving forward of economic and social progress for all; and, the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources, including land, water, air, climate and genetic resources for the benefit of present and future generations.

The objectives of World Food Day are to:
    Don’t waste water.

    Diversify your diet.
    Keep fish populations afloat.
    Keep soils and water clean.
    Buy organic
    Energy-efficient is best
    Use solar panels or other green energy systems
    Buy only what you need
    Pick ugly fruits and vegetables
    Don’t let labels fool you
    Limit your plastic
    Recycle paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum
    Store food wisely
    Love your leftovers
    Make plant food
    Be rubbish-savvy
    Make cities greener
    Shop local.
    Protect forests and save paper.
    Bike, walk, or use public transport
    Be a conscientious consumer
    Keep up to date on climate change
    Be an advocate!

*Encourage attention to agricultural food production and to stimulate national, bilateral, multilateral, and non-governmental efforts to this end;

*Encourage economic and technical cooperation among developing countries;

*Encourage the participation of rural people, particularly women and the least privileged categories, in decisions and activities influencing their living conditions;

*Heighten public awareness of the problem of hunger in the world;

*Promote the transfer of technologies to the developing world; and

*Strengthen international and national solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition, and poverty and draw attention to achievements in food and agricultural development.

To learn more about World Food Day, visit the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Back to School Nutrition Resource Guide Kids Eat Right Month

All over the country, children and parents are getting ready for the new school year to begin. With so much information about food and nutrition available on the Internet and in the news, Dietitians-Online has prepared the Back to School Nutrition Resource Guide.

Resources
Organizations, Associations, and Programs
School Nutrition Experts

Graphics

Lunchbox Safety
Planning School Meals Using MyPlate

Resources

Organizations, Associations, and Programs
	Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is your source for trustworthy, science-based food and nutrition information. The worlds largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, the Academy is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education, and advocacy.
	Kids Eat Right your source for scientifically-based health and nutrition information you can trust to help your child grow healthy. As a parent or caretaker, you need reliable resources and you can find them here, backed by the expertise of nutrition professionals.
	Home Food Safety Tips The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and ConAgra Foods public awareness campaign, Home Food Safety, is dedicated to providing home food safety statistics, information about foodborne illness and safe food handling information and tips.
	Choose MyPlate. The website features practical information and tips to help Americans build healthier diets.
	Vegetarian Resource Group Vegetarian Kids, Teens, and Family
	Action for Healthy Kids believes there are ways to reduce and prevent childhood obesity and undernourishment. Learn how Action for Healthy Kids is working with schools, families and communities to help our kids learn to be healthier and be ready to learn.
	Healthy Children The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and its member pediatricians dedicate their efforts and resources to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. Healthy Children - Nutrition Food Allergies in Children
	Team Nutrition Campaign launched by USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to encourage and teach children, parents, and caregivers to eat healthy and be physically active every day. Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ is about making America's children healthier. It's about practical suggestions that will help you motivate children and their caregivers  to eat healthy and be active. Eat  smart. Play Hard.™ Campaign messages and materials are fun for children and informative for caregivers.
	We Can The We Can! GO, SLOW, and WHOA Foods fact sheet (pdf) can be posted on the refrigerator or used when grocery shopping. The We Can! Parent Tips - Snack (pdf) 100 Calories or Less tip sheet can help consumers choose vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat (1 percent) milk for healthier snacks.
	Fruits and Veggies More Matters Gearing Up for Back to School
	National Dairy Council® (NDC)  Fuel Up To Play 60 sponsored by National Dairy Council and the National Football League, in collaboration with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school program that encourages the availability and consumption of nutrient-rich foods, along with at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity.
	The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential childcare institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.
	The School Breakfast Program (SBP) provides cash assistance to  States to operate nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and residential childcare institutions. The program is administered at the Federal level by FNS. State education agencies administer the SBP at the State level, and local school food authorities operate it in schools.

School Nutrition Experts

Dayle Hayes, MS, RD
School Meals That Rock (Facebook)

Dayle Hayes is an award-winning Registered Dietitian, author, and educator. Dayle developed a program for parents, FIT KIDS = HAPPY KIDS; created 5 A Day BINGO, and produced several videos. As a parent and member of the School Nutrition Association, Dayle is dedicated to improving school environments. She collected success stories for Making It Happen; wrote a chapter on communicating with students in Managing Child Nutrition Programs: Leadership for Excellence; and developed Enriching Family Mealtimes, a kit for school leaders and educators. In 2008, she co-authored the Position of the American Dietetic Association: Nutrition Guidance for Healthy Children Ages 2 to 11 Years.

Caroline, RD at Giant Eagle® 

Pack an A+ Lunch for School

Lunchbox Safety

World Food Day October 16, 2011

World Food Day was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in November 1979. FAO celebrates World Food Day each year on October 16th, the day on which the Organization was founded in 1945.

“FOOD PRICES – FROM CRISIS TO STABILITY” has been chosen as the 2011 World Food Day theme to shed some light on this trend and what can be done to mitigate its impact on the most vulnerable.

WORLD FOOD DAY 2011

On World Food Day 2011, let us look seriously at what causes swings in food prices, and do what needs to be done to reduce their impact on the weakest members of global society.

The objectives of World Food Day are to:

*Encourage attention to agricultural food production and to stimulate national, bilateral, multilateral and non-governmental efforts to this end;

*Encourage economic and technical cooperation among developing countries;

*Encourage the participation of rural people, particularly women and the least privileged categories, in decisions and activities influencing their living conditions;

*Heighten public awareness of the problem of hunger in the world;

*Promote the transfer of technologies to the developing world; and

*Strengthen international and national solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty and draw attention to achievements in food and agricultural development.


To learn more about World Food Day, visit the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Back to School Nutrition 2011-2012 Resource Guide

All over the country, children and parents are getting ready for the new school year to begin. With so much information about food and nutrition available on the Internet and in the news, Dietitians-Online has prepared the 2011-2012 Back to School Nutrition Resource Guide.

Resources
Organizations, Associations, and Programs
School Nutrition Experts, Articles, and Videos

Graphics

Lunchbox Safety
Planning School Lunches Using MyPlate

Back to School Foods

The skit starts out in the kitchen; the day before the first day of school. The parents have planned and prepared their child's lunch box using the MyPlate recommendations. The next scene is in the lunch room where the foods discuss the importance of eating healthy. When the Lunch box arrives back home, she reminds us to wash and clean the lunch box to remove any germs that came from school. After dinner, the lunch will be made for the next day. The Final slides show excellent Back to School Resources you can locate online and are listed below.

Resources

Organizations, Associations, and Programs
	American Dietetic Association is your source for trustworthy, science-based food and nutrition information. The worlds largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, ADA is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy.
	Kids Eat Right your source for scientifically-based health and nutrition information you can trust to help your child grow healthy. As a parent or caretaker you need reliable resources and you can find them here, backed by the expertise of nutrition professionals.
	Home Food Safety Tips The American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foods public awareness campaign, Home Food Safety, is dedicated to providing home food safety statistics, information about foodborne illness and safe food handling information and tips. Safe Lunch Guide
	Choose MyPlate.  The website features practical information and tips to help Americans build healthier diets.
	Let’s Move  is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years. Giving parents helpful information and fostering environments that support healthy choices. Providing healthier foods in our schools. Ensuring that every family has access to healthy, affordable food. And, helping children become more physically active.
	Choose MyPlate: Vegetarian Diet. Healthy Eating Tips for Vegetarians (pdf) Vegetarian diets can meet all the recommendations for nutrients. The key is to consume a variety of foods and the right amount of foods to meet your calorie needs. Nutrients that vegetarians may need to focus on include protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12
	Vegetarian Resource Group Vegetarian Kids, Teens, and Family
	Action for Healthy Kids, believe there are ways to reduce and prevent childhood obesity and undernourishment. Learn how Action for Healthy Kids is working with schools, families and communities to help our kids learn to be healthier and be ready to learn.
	Healthy Children  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and its member pediatricians dedicate their efforts and resources to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. Healthy Children - Nutrition Food Allergies in Children
	Team Nutrition 10 Tips Nutrition Education Series Menu Planner for Healthy School Meals Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ Materials. Campaign launched by USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to encourage and teach children, parents, and caregivers to eat healthy and be physically active every day. Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ is about making America's children healthier. It's about practical suggestions that will help you motivate children and their caregivers to eat healthy and be active. Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ Campaign messages and materials are fun for children and informative for caregivers. Building Blocks for Fun and Healthy Meals Fact Sheets For Healthier School Meals
	We Can The We Can! GO, SLOW, and WHOA Foods fact sheet (pdf) can be posted on the refrigerator or used when grocery shopping. The We Can! Parent Tips - Snack (pdf) 100 Calories or Less tip sheet can help consumers choose vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat (1 percent) milk for healthier snacks.
	Fruits and Veggies More Matters Gearing Up for Back to School
	National Dairy Council® (NDC) Child Nutrition Fuel Up To Play 60 sponsored by National Dairy Council and the National Football League, in collaboration with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school program that encourages the availability and consumption of nutrient-rich foods, along with at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity.
	The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.
	The School Breakfast Program (SBP) provides cash assistance to States to operate nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and residential childcare institutions. The program is administered at the Federal level by FNS. State education agencies administer the SBP at the State level, and local school food authorities operate it in schools.

  

School Nutrition Experts, Articles, and Videos

Dayle Hayes, MS, RD
Nutrition for the Future (Eat Well at School)

School Meals That Rock (Facebook)

Dayle Hayes is an award-winning Registered Dietitian, author, and educator. Dayle developed a program for parents, FIT KIDS = HAPPY KIDS; created 5 A Day BINGO; and produced several videos. As a parent and member of the School Nutrition Association, Dayle is dedicated to improving school environments. She collected success stories for Making It Happen; wrote a chapter on communicating with students in Managing Child Nutrition Programs: Leadership for Excellence; and developed Enriching Family Mealtimes, a kit for school leaders and educators. In 2008, she co-authored the Position of the American Dietetic Association: Nutrition Guidance for Healthy Children Ages 2 to 11 Years.

Building Healthy Lunches for Kids

Registered dietitian Angela Lemond gives tips on providing

healthy lunches for your kids this school year. 

Kids in School Yet??!! What to Pack for Lunch
Pamela Ofstein MS, RD, LDN

Healthy School Snacks, CSPI

Wondering What to Pack for School Lunches? Here are 15 healthier brown-bag lunch options now available in your supermarket. by Elaine Magee, MPH, RD

Back to School: Lunch Box Bootcamp Betsy Bingham Ramirez, M.Ed., RD

Feeding Vegan Kids by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Vegetarian Ideas – Creative Back to School Lunches by Kim Galeaz, RD CD 

Child Nutrition - Lunch Line Choices PSA

As an adult you are a role model for the children around you. Kids follow

 the lead of the adults they see everyday. So remember,

healthy choices start with you.

Priceless: School Lunch

"Priceless" launched the One Tray campaign depicting the

cafeteria tray as the conduit for a reformed school food system that

supports healthy children, local farms, and smart schools.