Across America, we are currently experiencing a youth mental health crisis. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), 7.1% of US children aged 3-17 have diagnosed anxiety, while 3.2% of US children aged 3-17 have diagnosed depression.…
Improving Eating Behaviors in Children Through Healthy Eating Environments
Research conducted in school cafeterias has highlighted ways to guide children toward making better food choices. One overlooked area of school cafeterias that deserves further study is the atmosphere/ambiance. The ambiance of a cafeteria can be easily overlooked because it …
In-School Cook-Offs: Students Mix Fun and Learning
In the quest to deliver educational value in bold and exciting mediums, In-School Cook-Offs blend practical cooking skills with innovative nutrition education. These fun, exciting events bring communities and classmates together to celebrate teens’ teamwork and creativity and to expand …
Breakfast in the Classroom
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”
“Teamwork makes the dream work.”
Everyone is familiar with these two phrases. From a health and wellness perspective, we know that students who eat breakfast have higher test scores, better attendance, …
Meatless Mondays: Implementation Successes and Strategies
Kelly Diaz, RD, the Assistant Director of Nutrition Services at Evanston Township High School (3,500 students) in Evanston, IL, implemented a Meatless Monday initiative during the 2018-2019 school year. Her experiences provide excellent examples of how this program can benefit …
Photo Food Labels Increase Meal Participation
Attractive, eye-catching signage and fun, descriptive food names are effective ways to promote healthy food options to kids. They increase Visibility and Suggestive Selling, two of the behavioral economics principles used by the Smarter Lunchrooms Movement to help lunchrooms …
Learn It, Grow It, Taste It! Nutrition & Gardening
This webinar is presented by Chelsey L. Slattery, Nutrition, Family and Consumer Sciences Advisor with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources and Jennifer Swanstrom, Community Education Specialist with the CalFresh Healthy Living, UC Program. During this webinar we
A Pediatrician’s Perspective of School Body Mass Index (BMI) Report Cards
Join Mara Vitolins, Professor and Interim Chair of Epidemiology and Prevention at the Wake Forest School of Medicine, and Joseph Arnold Skelton, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Wake Forest School of Medicine and Director of the Brenner …
Strategies for Summer Feeding Sites
Summer feeding programs are increasing in number in response to student needs. Popular examples include food trucks, mobile feeding sites (such as youth centers and libraries), and in-school programs. Here are some quick tips to help your program appeal to …
Healthy Fundraising: How to Fundraise While Promoting Health
Investing. Fundraising. Donations. Gifts. These are all words that come to mind when we look at ways to increase the financial pools that we can draw on for programming or causes. Many schools hold various fundraisers throughout the year …