Health Department

Tips from our health department nutritionistsAs 2026 approaches, practice some healthy eating habits and get ready to enter the new year on a nutritious note.1. Plan meals aheadJust like you might plan dishes for your holiday gatherings, try planning your meals for the week ahead of time. Make a grocery list: start by listing ingredients and quantities for the meals you plan to make and cross off items you already have. Be sure to add beverages and snacks to your list as well. Not only does planning meals ahead make it easier to eat nutritiously, but it also saves time and money by decreasing last-minute cooking stress and reducing food wasted. Learn how to make a meal plan.2. Make your food exactly how you want it by cooking at homeWhen you make your meals at home, you can choose the best ingredients and cooking methods. Choosing baking over frying, adding more dry fruits and less sugar, and using more spices and less salt are just a few ways to increase the nutritious value of your home-cooked meals.3. Get the whole family involvedDuring holiday celebrations, family members love to get involved in the meal planning and prepping. Make meals a group activity year-round. Children who help plan and prepare meals are more likely to try new foods and prioritizing family mealtime improves healthy eating behaviors.4. Use online resourcesIt can feel hard to meet your nutrition goals and keep meals flavorful and fun. Meals should include five food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy or fortified soy products. MyPlate can you help you achieve this by providing options for each food group and creative ways to use them. Visit MyPlate to find nutrition information. recipes and more.5. Practice mindfulnessWith so many food options, mealtime can feel overwhelming. By taking time to explore the color, smell, taste, texture and temperature of each bite and paying attention to how your body feels, you can make mealtime more enjoyable and prevent yourself from eating too much or too little. Follow this script to practice mindful eating.6. Keep mealtime a distraction-free zoneMealtime is a great opportunity to relax, reset, and refuel your body. Take full advantage of this by making mealtime a screen-free, stress-free zone. Whether you use the time to catch up with loved ones around the dinner table or practice mindful eating on your own, remember the purpose of mealtime: to nourish your body and soul.7. Love your safe leftoversWhen cooking large holiday meals or doing weekly meal-planning, you will likely find yourself with leftovers. Remember to refrigerate promptly and follow food safety every step of the way. Learn more about the four steps to food safety: clean, separate. cook, chill.8. Reduce food waste and give back to the planetFood waste can be harmful to both the environment and your wallet. You can reduce your food waste by selecting fruits and vegetables wisely, storing produce properly, preparing fruits and vegetables cleverly, and composting the scraps.9. Enjoy and repeat!Practice these healthy eating habits all year-round.Nutrition ResourcesWoman, Infants, and Children (WIC) ProgramMyPlate EatRight SNAP-Ed ConnectionAmerican Heart AssociationVirginia Cooperative Extension

Are you passionate about creating healthier communities and driving meaningful change? The Partnership for a Healthier Fairfax (PFHF) is seeking its next Co-Chair—and it could be you (or someone you know)! Established in 2010, the PFHF is a dynamic coalition of leaders and changemakers from government, business, nonprofits, healthcare, academia, community organizations and residents, working together to improve health and well-being for all in the Fairfax community. The PFHF oversees a multi-year Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), a roadmap to address the most pressing health challenges in the Fairfax community.Why Join PFHF as a Co-Chair?As PFHF Co-Chair, you’ll have the unique opportunity to: ✔ Be a Change Leader: Guide strategy and inspire action to improve health outcomes for all in the Fairfax community. ✔ Collaborate with Diverse Partners: Work closely with a dedicated network of multi-sector community partners and residents.  ✔ Shape the Future of Public Health: Play a significant role in advancing health equity and addressing root causes of health disparities.This is an unpaid position. However, the impact you’ll make as a leader in the Fairfax community is priceless.If you are a dedicated, motivated leader with a commitment to community health, we invite you to step forward and help shape the future of the Partnership for a Healthier Fairfax. Together, we’ll create a healthier, more equitable tomorrow for the Fairfax community.Are you interested in this position? Read the full role description to learn more about what the position entails.Email us at LiveHealthy@fairfaxcounty.gov to learn more or submit an application by Friday, February 27, 2026, at: Partnership Co-Chair Application.

  Applications are now open for the Spring 2026 cohort of the Public Health Youth Ambassador Program (PHYAP), offering high school age students across Fairfax County a flexible and meaningful way to build real-world skills and connections in health care and community health. The program’s Evening and Weekend option, held at the Fairfax County Government Center, is open to all 10th–12th grade students who live in Fairfax County—whether they attend public, private, faith-based, or home schools. This flexible schedule is ideal for teens with full daytime calendars, extracurricular activities, or part-time jobs, and gives families multiple ways to make the program work. Evening sessions run Monday through Thursday, and a weekend class meets each Saturday morning. Students can choose between two hands-on tracks: the High School & Young Adult Opioid Reduction Training Program or the Young Adult Mental Health Worker Program. Both options help students develop practical skills they can use right away in their schools and communities while strengthening college and career readiness. PHYAP also continues to offer daytime programs through its long-standing partnerships with John R. Lewis High School, Justice High School, and Mount Vernon High School. At these schools, eligible students participate in Community Health Worker training during their advisory periods three days a week, gaining experience through lessons and hands-on activities led by trained facilitators. Students in both programs also earn certifications from the Morehouse School of Medicine and George Mason University’s School of Public Health. These nationally recognized institutions guide the curriculum, helping to ensure that students receive high-quality training grounded in real public health needs. Becoming a Public Health Youth Ambassador gives students far more than classroom knowledge. PHYAP offers a chance to build confidence, develop leadership skills, and explore real career pathways in a growing field. Teens walk away with nationally recognized certifications, hands-on experience that stands out on college and scholarship applications, and a deeper understanding of issues that directly affect their friends, families, and communities. Applications for the Spring 2026 cohort are now open, and space is limited. Interested students are encouraged to apply early to increase the chances of being selected. The application deadline is Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Follow the link to learn more about the Public Health Youth Ambassador Program, including how to submit an application.