Adequate consumption of nutritious, wholesome foods is essential to the healthy development of young children. Unfortunately, many households throughout the U.S. and Colorado struggle to put sufficient food on the table. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the percentage of American families who reported experiencing uncertainty over having enough food at some point during the year reached its highest level in 2009. Meanwhile, in 2009, Colorado's five major food banks experienced overwhelming demand and distributed 25 percent more food than in 2008. Even when children in food-insecure households do consume adequate quantities of food, often times the food they eat is low on nutrients and high on calories and fat, contributing to an unprecedented epidemic of childhood obesity across the country. Efforts to increase access to healthy, nutritious foods, especially among low-income families, are essential to improving the health of Colorado's children. This brief is one in a series of six briefs published by the Colorado Children's Campaign addressing maternal and child health topics titled "Healthy Moms, Healthy Kids: A Series on Maternal and Child Health in Colorado". Other topics in the series include domestic violence, maternal depression, healthy pregnancies, family structure and teen motherhood and social determinants of health. (Contains 32 endnotes.)