Though President Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel delved into classic Washington fare during their two hour meal Monday night at 1789 Restaurant in the historic Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, tonight's State Dinner, will celebrate all things fresh and new - with a sweet nod to the honored guest's homeland.

From the menu provided by the White House:

A Spring Harvest Dinner
The State Dinner for Germany will celebrate the first harvest of the spring. Many of the vegetables and herbs used to prepare this evening’s dinner came from the White House Kitchen Garden. This garden was created by Mrs. Obama in March of 2009 and has become a central hub for activities here at the White House. In the early spring of this year, students from Tubman Elementary and Bancroft Elementary Schools in Washington DC planted vegetables in the White House Kitchen Garden. On June 3rd, only four days shy of the State Dinner, American Indian children joined the First Lady to plant traditional Native American crops and also harvested these vegetables just in time for the dinner.

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America's national image may be one of waving wheat fields and overflowing platters, but the reality for many communities is much less plentiful. A new interactive map built by the United States Department of Agriculture allows users to locate the food deserts in their neighborhood and across the country, simply by typing in an address or zip code.

Here's how the USDA explains the term:

The HFFI working group defines a food desert as a low-income census tract where a substantial number or share of residents has low access to a supermarket or large grocery store:

To qualify as a “low-income community,” a census tract must have either: 1) a poverty rate of 20 percent or higher, OR 2) a median family income at or below 80 percent of the census tract's median family income;
To qualify as a “low-access community,” at least 500 people and/or at least 33 percent of the census tract's population must reside more than one mile from a supermarket or large grocery store (for rural census tracts, the distance is more than 10 miles).

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Emily Schultze is a CNN Senior White House Producer

First Lady Michelle Obama joined two dozen local elementary schools kids on the South Lawn for the third spring planting of the White House garden. Assistant White House Chef Sam Kass oversaw this year’s seedlings which included spinach, broccoli, turnips and swiss chard.

According to Kass the 1500 square foot garden has produced over 2000 pounds of food in the 3 years. He noted most of the food is used in the White House but a full third of it goes to Miriam’s Kitchen, a local mission that provides food to the homeless.

The 1600 Report has Obama....no beets about it

Get gardening at home with this easy-start guide

The President and Mrs. Obama are setting out quite a spread for guests at the White House Super Bowl party, making sure both sides of the gridiron are represented. Brewskis include Hinterland Pale Ale & Amber Ale from Wisconsin, Yuengling Lager and Light from Pennsylvania and White House Honey Ale.

Our pals at Political Ticker have the rest of the menu, but before you click over, take a gander at the formula for the most crowd-pleasing chili there is. (Spoiler alert - despite the picture above, it *probably* doesn't include lima beans. Or salad.)
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The largest grocery chain in the country has announced an extensive five-year plan to make its food healthier and more affordable. Walmart, which serves roughly 140 million consumers a week, announced the initiative as a collaboration between its corporation and first lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign.

"To more and more of our customers, living better means the ability to walk into our stores and find foods that will help their families live healthier lives," said Leslie Dach, executive vice president of corporate affairs at Walmart. "And importantly, to find these foods at prices they can afford."

Saving money and living better do not always go together when it comes to food. Often highly processed foods rich in sodium, trans-fats, or added sugars are less expensive, and thus more affordable, than fresh produce. Access to healthy foods is also an issue; so-called "food deserts" exist throughout the country, leaving many Americans with minimal access to healthy fare.

Read Walmart pledges to make food healthier, more affordable

Green acres, or at least the South Lawn, is the place to be - especially if you're First Lady Michelle Obama.

The First Lady spent Wednesday afternoon picking pumpkins, turnips and sweet potatoes from the White House kitchen garden with students from Tubman and Bancroft Elementary Schools.

The harvest was part of Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign, which aims to combat childhood obesity.
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This just in from our D.C. Bureau, a press release from the White House:

The presentation of gifts to visiting foreign dignitaries is a time-honored tradition that helps transcend cultural barriers and offers a symbol of peace and friendship.

In honor of the 65th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly, First Lady Michelle Obama has assembled an assortment of gifts that reflect her past 20 months in the White House. The White House Kitchen Garden, which provides the Obama family and White House guests with delicious fresh produce, is the central theme behind this year’s gift.

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Washington (CNN) - First Lady Michelle Obama is putting her food where her mouth is, so to speak, at next week's United Nations General Assembly.

Mrs. Obama will host a Farm-to-Table luncheon on Friday for the spouses of visiting world leaders at a local New York farm to highlight one of her signature causes: nutrition. During the luncheon, Mrs. Obama and the other "first spouses" will tour the farm and the education center that is attached to it.

In Pocantico Hills, New York the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture is a non-profit farm and education center on about 80 acres and farms four seasons of the year. It's initiatives focus on health and sustainability. The facility also has a restaurant called Blue Hill at Stone Barns where the luncheon will be held.

CNN White House Producer Xuan Thai has the FULL STORY

Previously - Michelle Obama talks restaurants and the family food chain

First Lady Michelle Obama addressed the National Restaurant Association on the role that restaurant meals play in the health of American children.

Key stats include:

– One-third of all meals today are eaten in restaurants.

– One in three children in this country is overweight or obese. Health consequences include hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.

– Research has shown that kids consume more saturated fat and less fiber and calcium when they eat out. And the meals they eat at restaurants have twice as many calories as the ones they eat at home.
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