Using Nutrition Education to Encourage Health Eating
Nutrition Education helps children and families learn to make healthy food choices. Incorporating nutrition education into Federal Child Nutrition Program sites can also help to promote the healthy foods being served. Consider incorporating nutrition education into your meal bags and boxes for meals being served outside of school under the pandemic emergency operations. And when normalcy returns, include nutrition education as part of School Breakfast, School Lunch, Summer Meals, or Child and Adult Care Food Program sites!
The Benefits
- Learning about healthy foods teaches healthy eating habits. Kids are more likely to try a new food item or taste a dish if they know more about it. Understanding the content of prepared foods they should limit their intake for is also important to their long-term health.
- Providing recipes with fresh produce or other items that might be included in a meal box or bag is a great way to demonstrate new ways to use those items in meal preparation.
- Cooking together is a great way to connect caregivers and children.
See It In Action
See links for nutrition education resources and handouts at https://www.carolinahungerinitiative.org/nutritioneducation/
Find free cooking demos and classes at https://www.carolinahungerinitiative.org/cookingdemos/
Learn more about the latest Cooking Matters courses offered by Carolina Hunger Initiative at https://www.carolinahungerinitiative.org/cooking/
Learn more about the national Cooking Matters program at https://cookingmatters.org/
New Hanover County Schools and Scotland County Schools have online information on nutrition and wellness and resources for teachers at https://www.nhcschildnutrition.com/index.php?sid=1560784726475&page=parentstudentteacher and https://scsmenus.com/index.php?sid=1556821764729&page=parentstudentteacher
Checklist: How to Get Started
- Look for teachable moments. There are many: From the message the person handing out the food delivers to what goes in a food bag or on a plate.
- Make it FUN! Find engaging materials that are appropriate to the age of the child.
- Explore ways to focus on and promote the in-season fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Include recipes for items on the menu that are given out in the meals to children and families.
Can Carolina Hunger Initiative Help?
Let’s get started! Contact us at carolinahungerinitiative@unc.edu