“Invest in Yourself – Buy Nutrition” was the theme for the first National Nutrition Month. It was created in 1973 by the American Dietetic Association (ADA). The ADA is known now as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. It actually started as a week long to begin with, but has expanded to a full month to reach more people.

This month of awareness is meant to help everyone focus on the many benefits of living a healthy lifestyle, of which nutrition plays a key part.

There are a lot of ways to celebrate National Nutrition Month both at home and at school. Looking for the best way to help the information be effective and stick? Make it fun!

Here are a few ideas to help you get started.:

Create a theme for each week which focuses on a particular aspect of a healthy lifestyle.

For example:

Week One – MyPlate – what it is and how it can help you eat healthy food
Week Two – Why choose whole grains?
Week Three – How to read nutrition labels
Week Four – Get moving every day!

Supermarket scavenger hunt

Take a class field trip to the local supermarket (or parents, take your kids shopping with you) and make a game out of finding healthy food choices.

Using an “I spy” type of game, give the kids clues about the food you’re talking about.

For example, you could say, “I spy something orange, it grows in the ground and is a bunny’s favorite food”.
Or, “I see something that’s bright red, grows on a tree and is delicious in a pie.”
Another way to have fun learning about nutrition? Have the older kids come up with their own clues that they can then share with the younger ones!

Make your own plate

Using MyPlate as a reference, give each child three paper plates. Cut out images of food from magazines, or use some grocery ads.  Ask them to put together three healthy meals (e.g. breakfast, lunch and dinner).

Once they’ve completed their meals, discuss the reasons why they chose the foods they did.  When applicable, ask them what would have been a better option. Discuss portion size too!

Combine efforts where possible. Get the entire school or family involved in supporting your efforts. One way is to coordinate what you teach in the classroom – or at home – with the school nutrition staff.

In the cafeteria, focus on a healthy food choice each day. Hang up posters showing a particular food item. Include the nutritional benefits, and show suggestions on how to serve the food.

At home, use a new food each week – or several times per week – in your family meals to expand your child’s palate. This helps open up discussions about why some foods are healthier choices than others.

Note: The school’s website, social media, newsletters and morning announcements provide wonderful opportunities to share information and reminders about what makes a healthy food choice.

Volunteers

Think about people in your network who can add to the conversation about nutrition. Know a local chef? Ask them to come in and discuss how they prepare foods for their clients.  A physician or a personal trainer can discuss the impact of eating foods that give you energy.

Other ideas

Partner with the local library to provide nutritional education opportunities through story time events, coloring contests and/or activity sheets for kids.

Get kids involved in a food donation campaign to your local food pantry or shelter.

Put together a lesson plan discussing the science behind baking. Discuss what ingredients are needed, why they’re needed and what happens when they’re used.

Classroom and/or school vegetable projects. Have kids choose their favorite vegetable, and plant the seed in a small container. Have them take it home with them at the end of the school year so that they can plant it somewhere at home (assuming the season is right for planting!)

As you can see there are a lot of ways you can drive home the importance of a healthy lifestyle, while making it fun and memorable.

February is National Snack Food Month. This is the perfect opportunity to show your kids how healthy snacks are the best snacks for their growing minds and bodies!

Let’s face it, kids aren’t always enthusiastic about healthy eating.

But both parents and educators know the more interested and involved a kid is with what they’re trying to do, the more enthusiastic and engaged they’ll be.

This makes for easy teaching and better retention – a win-win for kids and the ones teaching them!

And it is possible to get them interested in trying new foods – if you make “fun” the name of the game!

Here’s how:

They’re watching you

Like it or not, your kids are always watching what you do.

If they see Mom and Dad choose – and enjoy – healthy foods and beverages, they may be more open to trying something new.

Focus on the food’s benefits

Talk about the benefits of the food on your child’s plate, not the fact that it’s “healthy”. The idea that something is “healthy” is a distant concept for a child, especially young children. Tell them something like “the cheese will give you strong muscles” or “make you powerful”, or whatever phrase you think will appeal to your child.

If they have a favorite superhero or sports figure, try to find a way to tie their attributes (e.g. strength, speed, etc.) to the benefit of eating the food.

Eye appeal

Think color, crunch, and healthy fats.

Make the food as appealing to the eye as possible:

• combine different colors
• use different cuts (e.g. round disks vs thin strips)
• try different flavors (mozzarella, cheddar)
• cut and/or arrange into fun shapes

Make it a game

Take the kids grocery shopping. Ask them to help find vegetables and fruits in every color of the rainbow.

Once you’re home, have them help you prepare the foods for quick snacking options throughout the week. Bagging their own portions helps them feel more involved.

Let them decide

To get kids more excited about eating healthy foods give them several healthy choices for at least one of their meals.

For example, if it’s lunch time, let them choose among options such as pitas, wraps or English muffins made with whole grains. Offer lean ham, turkey or chicken and low fat cheese slices for the filling.

Let them help

Research has shown that kids who spend time in the kitchen will choose a wider variety of foods and tend towards decisions which are healthier.

Give your kids age appropriate tasks in the kitchen to expose them to all of the aspects of their food preparation. When possible, let them put together their own meals as they’re much more likely to eat their own creations!

Keep trying

Research has shown that it takes as many as 15 tries before a kid will try a new food. So if they turn their nose up at a new food, keep introducing it and eventually they will give it a try. Even if they don’t like it the first time they try it, over time their taste buds develop and change. They may grow to like it.

Snack ideas

There are thousands of great, healthy snack ideas for kids. Here are just a few:

• “Ants on a log” (celery filled with peanut butter and raisins)
• Fresh or canned fruit (canned in 100% juice) served with low fat yogurt
• Low-fat cheese sticks or cubes
• Whole grain crackers or rice cakes topped with peanut butter or thin cheese slices
• Popcorn (air-popped)
• Quesadillas (whole wheat tortilla stuffed with low-fat melted cheese)
• Baked tortilla chips
• Whole wheat pita bread with hummus
• Fresh fruit
• Applesauce
• Homemade trail mix (portioned)

Set the rules

Give them beverage choices such as water, low-fat milk or 100% fruit juice (portioned) to keep them hydrated. Require they ask before they grab a snack.

To promote mindful eating, insist that snacks be eaten at the table or in the kitchen, not in front of the TV or computer.

Getting kids interested in eating healthy foods isn’t always easy, but it is always worth the effort!