Show Me Nutrition is a comprehensive nutrition curriculum that teaches youths from preschool through junior high how to have a healthy lifestyle. The curriculum supports Missouri’s Show Me Educational Standards (adapted from the National Health Standards) and supports grade level expectations for math and communication arts, where appropriate. Several important health themes are taught in each grade level, such as nutrition, food safety, physical activity, media influence and body image, and the grade levels are designed for continuity. Age-appropriate content, activities and handouts make learning about healthy eating fun for students in all grade levels. The preschool through fifth grade curricula include family newsletters that help family members and caregivers support learning from each grade level. Each curriculum includes handouts to reinforce lesson content with families and caregivers. Below is a sample of the newsletters in English and Spanish.
Show Me Nutrition Lesson 1 — Spanish version
Show Me Nutrition Lesson 2 — Spanish version
To see a full list of the newsletters by grade level, please visit the newsletters page on the University of Missouri Extension website.
Poor dietary choices and physical inactivity are linked to major causes of illness and death. Research shows that healthy eating, physical activity, and maintaining an adequate body mass index can lead to a 60 percent reduction in cancer, an 80 percent reduction in heart disease, and a 90 percent reduction in diabetes. Engaging in healthy habits can also increase longevity and improve quality of life. However, many of us become so involved in helping others that we forget to take time for ourselves. In an effort to reverse this habit, Nutrition and Weight Management Specialist, Ingrid Adams and FCS agents and Dayna Parrett, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent in Nelson County initiated a Wellness Challenge that coincides with Nutrition Month.
The Challenge encourages individuals to commit to making two healthy lifestyle choices: choosing healthy foods each day based on MyPlate; and engaging in the recommended amount of physical activity each day, that is at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on five or more days of the week. Engaging in this amount of physical has been shown to decrease a person’s risk for obesity and chronic diseases. In addition, engaging in physical activity is associated with taking less medication and having fewer hospitalizations and physician visits. At present 195 people have responded to the call and have taken up the Challenge to make healthy lifestyle choices. We encourage you to also join us.
For more information contact: Ingrid Adams (email@example.com) or Dayna Parrett (firstname.lastname@example.org).
The University of Massachusetts, Department of Nutrition and the University of New Hampshire, Cooperative Extension have developed a free, online, interactive food safety program for Farm to Early Childcare programs.
Food Safety from Farm and Garden to Preschool Training Program is available online at www.umass.edu/safefoodfarm2kid. This free, self-paced program was created to help early childcare educators, foodservice staff, volunteers and parents understand the importance of reducing the risk of food safety related to fresh fruits and vegetables for young children. The program includes five units:
Farm to Preschool Benefits
Fresh Produce and Foodborne Illness Risks
Food Safety Basics for the Classroom and the Kitchen
Food Safety and Gardening Activities
Food Safety on Field Trips to Farms and Farmers’ Market.
Printable resources such as Best Practices Planning Tools, resources, and Certificates of Completion are available and may be able to be used towards Professional Development requirements. For more information on the program and to get started, visit www.umass.edu/safefoodfarm2kid or contact Cathy Wickham at email@example.com.
Utah State University Food $ense (SNAP-Ed) program highlights 4 areas focusing on improving the lives of the individuals and families they reach. Through public values research Food $ense (SNAP-Ed) is able to indicate that SNAP-Ed improves education, health, local agriculture and lives of those they reach.
National Nutrition Certification Program (NNCP) is a nationally recognized free nutrition certification program designed for nutrition educators. The program is available through Utah State University’s SNAP-Ed program as a resource to improve the knowledge and skills of nutrition educators across the country. See the NNCP brochure here.
To learn more about the National Nutrition Certification Program or to enroll, please contact: firstname.lastname@example.org