Nutrition
10 Tips for Healthy School Lunches
1. Serve a Hot Meal Schools across the country are beginning to prepare hot meals on site making available healthier choices thus eliminating or reducing fried foods and junk food from school grounds. The problem, however, is that healthy foods can take longer to eat and research indicates that eating fast often means children and adults eat more which contributes to the obesity crisis.
Sustainable and Organic Agriculture Curriculum Resources
By Bailey Klinestiver
June 2005
Agriculture Curriculum resources for organic or sustainable food
Smart Snacks in Schools Video
Alliance for a Healthier Generation
Lunch, Recess and Nutrition
Joseph Price PhD. & David Just Ph.D.
Download Lunch, Recess & Nutrition Article
Switching recess to before lunch in schools increases fruit and vegetable consumption.It also decreases waste. Limited studies and pilot projects have suggested this. We utilize a natural experimental setting and non-intrusive methods to further test thisOur large dataset supports switching recess positively affects nutritional outcomes.
Countdown to Good Health and Nutrition
Who do you think has a greater influence as a role model on health and nutrition: a parent, teacher or young adults? The Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC), believes it’s young adults, and they are taking advantage of that fact. They have started a program using about 24 high school students to teach nutrition classes to elementary-age children.
Healthy Students are Better Learners
You will find resources on school nutrition and how it affects learning. Proper nutrition promotes the optimal growth and development of children. Healthy eating also helps prevent high cholesterol and high blood pressure and other conditions that lead to later health problems.
Nutrition in Schools
There is a public health crisis facing the United States and many countries around the world. Unlike so many public health crises resulting in disease, it can’t be cured by an inoculation. The disease has reached epidemic proportions and is called childhood obesity. We need to address nutrition in schools before its too late. more […]
Comfortable Cafeterias
The notion of comfortable cafeterias was first promoted by the Montana Team Nutrition Network. Comfortable Cafeterias have three main goals: improve learning, behavior and student health. Some best practices for ensuring a comfortable and pleasant environment for students to eat is 1) a Recess Before Lunch schedule, 2) adequate time to eat and 3)a school philosophy regarding mealtime.
School Gardens: Schools Teaching Organic Gardening
In this article, we will look into the movement that is transforming the nation’s schools, the “Local Food Movement” via school gardens. Americans are facing epidemic levels of childhood onset of diabetes, a disease which in many of these children is preventable. Local schools are implementing gardens which allow for hands-on learning in a variety of educational subjects (science, math, history, economics), in addition to exposing children to a concept of where their food comes from, how it is grown and what different fruits and vegetables taste like. School gardens are a fun way to expand student interest and involvement in their own education and their own long-term health care.
Schools Role in the Childhood Obesity Crisis
First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled her strategy for tackling the nation’s childhood obesity crisis. Mrs. Obama’s initiative is called Let’s Move and includes a website with tools and background on the initiative. Her speech was informative and inspiring. One quote was particularly compelling. “We can’t build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
Download Article- Schools Role in Childhood Obesity Crisis
Healthy Food, Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds
Childhood obesity has taken center stage as children’s #1 health problem. Senators and Congressmen are joining forces and passing legislation for mandatory physical education and many states are reinstating recess. Pediatricians are attempting to advise parents to attain a healthy body weight for their children. They emphasize that healthy bodies healthy minds go hand in hand. Legislators, administrators, and community leaders have joined forces to remove unhealthy food choices from vending machines while transforming school lunch menus across the country. more……
Download Article- Healthy Bodies and Healthy Minds
Educational Gardening Resources
Food/Nutrition/Farming Activity Guides/Curricula
TWIGS – Garden Nutrition Curriculum, purchase from San Mateo Cooperative Extension
Nutrition to Grow On – Garden-based nutrition activities for grades 4-6, CDE Press
Kids Cook Farm-Fresh – Recipes and harvest activities to do with kids, CDE Press
Fruit and Vegetable Cards – Photos and information, CDE Press Nutrition Garden Starter Packets, CDE Press, Call (916)323-2473 The Visual Food Encyclopedia – Fortin & D’Amico, MacMillian The Children’s Kitchen Garden – Georgeanne and Ethel Brennan, Ten Speed Press
Healthy Food From Healthy Soil – Elizabeth Patten and Kathy Lyons
