Healthy Kids Challenge
Welcome to Wednesday WOWS! February 22, 2006
W-wonderful O-opportunities W-with S-schools
....Easy HEAR, SEE, DO action tips each week
HEAR >>>> Provide a message to increase awareness of
knowledge/skills
SEE >>>> Show people HOW to make healthy changes
DO >>>> Help people practice and make
healthy changes
The WOWS Message: Step Up to
Nutrition & Health
< HEAR >
March brings
National Nutrition Month whose key messages are based on the 2005
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
(www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines/index.html) and
the MyPyramid food guidance system recommendations
(http://mypyramid.gov/ ). What a great time to review and refresh those
important concepts again!
- Eating right and being
physically active are essential to a healthy lifestyle today and in the
future.
- Give your body the
balanced nutrition it needs by eating a variety of nutrient-packed
foods every day from every food group.
- Choose the most
nutritionally rich foods you can from each food group each day - those
packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients.
- Find your balance
between food and physical activity.
- Prepare, handle and
store food properly to keep you and your family safe.
The messages above impact all ages but
let's focus on kids and how these ideas can be encouraged and practiced
at your school/program during National Nutrition Month!
<
SEE >
Too much
information can be overwhelming so choose 1-3 healthy concepts to
highlight during the month. Consider what healthy eating habits need
more attention at your school. Then develop activities which will help
kids practice those healthy habits. Do whole grains need more
emphasis? Is the 5 A Day fruit and vegetable message lagging? Have
low-fat snacks been represented lately? Also, make sure to highlight
daily active play and movement!
MyPyramid for Kids Food
Guidance System (ages 6-11) came out Fall 2005 and National Nutrition
Month may be the perfect time to share and bring awareness to the fun,
kid's format. (http://www.mypyramid.gov/kids/index.html)
Connect and link with your KidLink team to promote National Nutrition
Month. Spread the healthy messages from the cafeteria to the library,
through the classrooms, and to the gym and playground.
Check out
the
American Dietetic Association's
National Nutrition Month Web site (http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/nutrition_1099_ENU_HTML.htm) for a list of event ideas and
activities such as food drives and fun walks to make this
year's National Nutrition Month memorable!
< DO >
Putting on a Healthy
Eating and Activity Fair works great for National Nutrition
Month! The American Dietetic Association's Web site above gives
suggested activities to use for a fair such as "Eating the Rainbow",
"Sizing It Up Display", and "Easy Moves for Couch Potatoes". Healthy
Kids Challenge also has some interactive program ideas as well!
- Use the HKC Walk Through the Pyramid activity.
Kids physically move through the new MyPyramid format, stopping at each
food group to experience an interactive lesson. Kids hear a quick food
group message and build a trail mix as they Walk through the Pyramid.
- Include the HKC Ready, Set, COOK and Eat! event.
This event showcases quick, simple and easy meal preparation
ideas, while offering cooking and nutrition information in a fun and
entertaining manner. (Both
of these activities are thoroughly described in booklet form and can be
ordered at www.healthykidschallenge.com/ordermaterials.php)
<><><> HEAR_SEE_DO Tips for Newsletters
<><><>
Cut and paste a HEAR_SEE_DO tip each week into your own
parent newsletters!
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All Foods Can FIT with
Healthy BALANCE! The National Nutrition Month theme supports the
following tips:
- Eat MORE fruits, vegetables
and whole grains. Try a fresh tangerine in a lunchbox, pair up baby
carrots and low-fat Ranch dip for an after school snack, and choose
whole grain crackers with your dinner salad.
- Eat LESS of higher fat and
sugary foods. Talk about this as a family, set goals such as sharing
fast food french fries or sodas.
- Include ACTIVE PLAY
every day! Stretch several times a day, walk more, and challenge each
other to take more steps!
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Thought for the Day
"Education has for its object the formation of
character." -- Herbert Spencer
For questions about Healthy
Kids Challenge, please contact:
Vickie L. James, RD, LD, Director
vickie@healthykidschallenge.com
www.healthykidschallenge.com
1-888-259-6287