Groovin’ Groceries Combines Music, Nutrition Education

• Two-thirds of K-8 teachers say students in their classes regularly come to school hungry and 63 percent say the problem has increased in the past year, according to a survey released last week. [read more]
• In Maryland, state lawmakers are considering legislation that would require public schools to publish calorie information for all school-lunch menu items. [read more]
• In Spring Lake Park, Minnesota, one teacher is leading the effort to provide healthier snack choices in the school’s store and vending machines. [read more]

Nutrition is certainly in the news -- and it isn’t only because March is National Nutrition Month. Statistics about America’s childhood obesity epidemic make headlines every week. Meanwhile, Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative is drawing needed attention to the issue. And schools are helping to lead the way when it comes to making nutrition education a year-round focus.

GROOVIN’ IN THE GROCERY AISLE

As Lori Cook wandered the grocery aisles with her 3-year-old son Nate, she was struck by the fact that he was already responding to cartoon characters on product packaging. “I didn’t realize it started so early,” Cook thought. “Then I wondered why there weren’t advertisements for healthy foods that would get kids equally excited.”

One of Cook’s first thoughts was that memorable cartoon characters combined with catchy music could help get positive nutrition messages out to kids. That’s when Cook -- an award-winning lyricist -- teamed up with two-time Grammy Award winner David Blamires to create the characters and songs that comprise the timely and very affordable Groovin’ Groceries program. (Recognize Nutrition Month by giving each of your teachers a copy of the CD! They are sure to find ways to work it into their classroom curriculum.) The Groovin’ Groceries characters sing and dance their way to lessons about the five basic food groups that are part of the USDA food pyramid. The program’s cast of characters includes

• Bobby Broccoli and the Hip Hop Crops (hip hop music);
• Banana Jamma and the Fruity Party (reggae music);
• Betsy Bread and the Grainiacs (country music);
• Max Milk and the Disco Dairy (disco music); and
• Fiona Fish and the Lean Machine (R&B music).

Take a look -- and a listen!


Of course there are temptations addressed by characters such as Junk Food and the Sugar Monster (blues music) as well as a tune about the importance of exercise called Stinky Shoe – Peeyew! that gets kids plugging their noses and dancing about the room.

In addition to a music CD, the Groovin’ Groceries program also offers print materials, including stickers and -- soon to come -- a scavenger hunt perfect for a grocery store field trip and a Groovin’ Groceries placemat.

“Kids need help when it comes to making smart eating decisions,” says Lara Field, a pediatric dietitian who has endorsed the Groovin’ Groceries program. “Groovin’ Groceries is a fantastic way to promote healthy eating in a fun, entertaining way. The approachable reminders of how to make healthy choices in this well-designed program are a great way for kids to learn foods to choose and those to avoid.”

LEARN MORE

Groovin’ Groceries Program
Groovin’ Groceries Characters and Songs
Groovin’ Groceries Products

School Wellness Policies Are Making a Difference

Valentine’s Day parties looked a bit different this year in New Canaan (Connecticut) Schools. In the past, the party menu would have included cupcakes and brownies, but this year carrot sticks, fruit slices, and other healthful treats were the snacks of choice.

The change in menu is all part of the district’s new Wellness policy, which aims to ensure that students are getting the same messages about nutrition and physically active lifestyles from the lunchroom to the classroom as well as in the gym and at home.

“There's a call in this to everyone who works in the system to be role models," Deputy Superintendent Mary Kolek told the New Canaan Patch. “We made this commitment because experts and experience tell us that sound nutrition and physical fitness are important factors connected to readiness for learning and other school and life activities.” [read more]

Aside from party choices, the cafeteria menus in town have changed, too. Lunch is prepared fresh each day and local produce is used whenever possible. In the gym, elementary students are learning the basics of yoga, and all high school gym classes begin with stretching exercises aimed at improving flexibility and reducing the potential for injury.

Wherever possible, New Canaan’s efforts involve local community groups, businesses, and the town’s recreation department. An “Open Gym” is held each Sunday at the high school.

The state of Connecticut requires all districts to provide student fitness test results on a yearly basis, but New Canaan’s wellness plan calls for those results to be sent home in order to educate parents, too. The FitnessGrams sent home to parents of students in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10 report the child’s fitness in four areas: aerobic capacity, flexibility, muscular strength, and muscular endurance.

GEORGIA SCHOOL FIGHTS OBESITY WITH WELLNESS PROGRAM

FitnessGrams are also sent home to students as part of the wellness program at Friendship Elementary School in Buford, Georgia. Principal Berry Walton hopes his school’s program will eventually become the program of choice in all the district's schools.

The fact that Georgia has the second-highest childhood obesity rate in the country -- about 24 percent of third-graders are obese -- was one of the motivating factors behind the program. “Our goals are to focus on childhood obesity, nutrition, and academic performance,” Walton told the local school board this month. [read more]

Friendship Elementary’s program was developed last summer by a school-wide committee that researched best programs and practices. The program includes opportunities for the staff to get fit; about 20 staff members work out with a fitness trainer twice a week. And Pilates balls have replaced desk chairs in some classrooms. Such “active sitting” helps develop muscles and keep students alert and focused, Walton explained.

READ MORE ABOUT SCHOOL WELLNESS POLICIES

Principals Launch School-Wide Wellness Programs

Schools Where Wellness Is a Way of Life

Wellness Policies Promote Healthy Choices

Some Schools Replace Desk Chairs With Ball Chairs

Teachers Trade Space, Traditional Fixtures for Fitness

‘Food for Thought: Eating Well on a Budget’

Leave it to Elmo!

The gang at Sesame Street introduced some new characters last week. In the December 8 episode, the Super Foods Super Heroes team helped convince Elmo and Grover to try their first bite of a kiwi with this rousing lyric:

        There’s so many tasty foods, it’s true,
        But trying something new can be so hard to do.
        You may not love it at first sight,
        But to know for sure, you’ve got to take a bite.
        (Listen to the entire song…)

Last week’s Super Foods episode was the official kickoff of a new program from the nonprofit Sesame Workshop. Food for Thought: Eating Well on a Budget is the organization’s response to the fact that 17 million U.S. children -- nearly one in four -- are food insecure, which means they don’t receive food that meets basic nutritional needs due to financial instability. The bilingual (English-Spanish) program provides families with video and other resources, including a caregiver’s guide, recipe cards, and a printable shopping list for children and caregivers.

TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS, TOO

The Food for Thought program also includes resources for schools and other providers who work directly with families. The program's Provider’s Guide presents tips for leading discussions about good foods as well as all the tools needed to offer parent workshops on topics such as “Trying New Foods,” “Spending Time Together [at Mealtime],” and “Anytime Snacks.” The kit also includes handouts, student coloring pages, and more.

SPONSORED BY…

Sesame Workshop laid the foundation for this project beginning in 2004 with Healthy Habits for Life, a multi-year initiative that aims to teach parents and children that health and well-being is just as crucial to child development as learning how to read and write.

“Our sole mission is to help children reach their highest potential,” said Gary E. Knell, president and chief executive officer of Sesame Workshop. “Food for Thought is essential in helping children learn the importance of developing a healthy lifestyle by eating nutritional food despite a low or reduced income and helping them succeed in school…and in life.”

Partners in the Food for Thought effort include UnitedHealthcare® and The Merck Company Foundation.

Do Michelle Obama and Jamie Oliver Stand a Chance?

Are you watching Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution? Oliver has chosen Huntington, West Virginia, as the locale for his six-week ABC series because Huntington made headlines back in 2008 when it was declared America’s Unhealthiest City based on leading indicators of health. But, truth be told, Oliver’s Food Revolution could be taking place in many communities across the United States -- including, perhaps, your own.


WILL CHEF JAMIE SUCCEED IN WEST VIRGINIA?

When it comes to what kids eat, everyone always blames the kids, says Oliver. Parents, school nutrition workers, and local officials all pass the buck. They say they feed their kids what the kids want to eat -- things like pizza and chicken fingers and hot dogs. “But that’s absolute rubbish!” adds Oliver. “The problem is not with the kids -- it’s with the adults. Kids are really open-minded. If you make food fun, the sky is the limit.”

Oliver made a name for himself by transforming the food program in British schools. Now he’s focusing on America. And based on the sneak-peek broadcast last night, he has his work cut out for him.

Of course, Huntington’s schools are one of the focal points of the series, which gives us educators a reason for watching. But it remains to be seen if Oliver’s attention-getting schtick -- starting with a dumpster-load of fat representing the fat being consumed by Huntington’s school kids in a year -- will make an impression.

Will Oliver be able to make any kind of lasting impact on the families and schools in Huntington? Will his “Food Revolution” catch on in other places? Stay tuned.

MICHELLE OBAMA DEBUTS ‘LET’S MOVE’

It’s full steam ahead for Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! health initiative. Last week, while hubby was busy in D.C. pushing for national healthcare reform, the First Lady was working hard in her fight against childhood obesity. Her four-pronged attack aims to
● give parents the support they need,
● provide healthier food in schools,
● help kids to be more physically active, and
● make healthy, affordable food available in every part of our country.


One of the cornerstones of Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign is partnerships. She hopes to partner with groups that can help get out the campaign’s messages. Earlier this month, she spoke to the National PTA [read about it] and last week she asked food manufacturers to get on board by doing their part to improve products they offer consumers [read about it]. She hopes to involve video game makers as partners, too; she has offered $40,000 in cash prizes for software tools and video games that get kids excited about eating better and exercising more [read about it].

In the weeks ahead, the First Lady will be involving sport teams, pediatricians, entertainers, local and nationally elected officials, and other stakeholders as partners in her campaign.

“Let’s Move! is going to take families out of their isolation and give them the nationwide support they need from a whole range of industries to get our kids on track,” Obama said.

WE'VE SUPER-SIZED IN 'BIBLICAL' PROPORTIONS

As if we needed more proof...

Did you happen to catch the news report yesterday about a study out of Cornell University? A professor and his brother, who is a Presbyterian minister and a religious studies professor, have studied more than 50 paintings of the Biblical Last Supper. Their study reveals that the portion sizes on plates in the paintings have grown between 23 and 69 percent over the years [read the article].

As it turns out, the artworld offers still more proof that we overeat today -- and that we have created an obesity epidemic of "Biblical" proportions. I fully believe that future depictions of the Last Supper should come complete with a Nutrition Facts side panel!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

So it looks as though Michelle Obama and Chef Jamie are going to need every educator's help to turn things around. Thanks for doing your part! Here are a couple resources to get you started:

Let’s Move! -- Kids’ Collections
Use these resources -- including games, activity books, videos, and posters -- to spread healthful messages.

Michelle Obama to 'Shine the Light' on Childhood Obesity Issue
The First Lady’s explains the origins of Let’s Move! in this PBS interview.

Principals Encourage Parents to Turn Dinnertime Into School-Home Connection Time

In the weeks ahead, many families will be gathering for Thanksgiving and other holiday celebrations. For some families, these special meals are a rare opportunity to sit down as a family. For school leaders, the upcoming occasions are perfect fodder for your school-to-home newsletters. They are an opportunity to remind your students’ parents about the importance of family meals.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, eating dinner together as a family every night keeps the doors of communication open between parents and children. Many studies bear out the importance of the family meal. Did you know that…
● mealtime is a rich opportunity for young children to learn words and expand their vocabulary?
● teens who have dinner with their families five or more times a week are almost twice as likely to earn A’s in school than teens who have family dinners two or fewer times per week?
● teens who sit down for frequent family dinners are less likely to smoke, drink, or use illegal drugs?
● children whose families watch TV as they eat family dinners are more likely to be overweight than those who aren’t tuned-in to television at dinnertime?

“Although hectic schedules have made family dinners a thing of the past, there is compelling evidence that sitting down at a table to share a meal is an ideal environment for family interaction,” said Laura Olson, vice president of education for Kiddie Academy International.

Olson notes that families should aim to sit down to a meal most nights of the week for a minimum of 30 minutes. For those parents wondering how they can make the most of family dinners, Olson offers the following tips, which you might share in your next school-to-home newsletter:

Be curious. Showing an interest in a child's likes and dislikes can result in the child feeling appreciated, respected, and emotionally secure. Ultimately, the child experiences a surge in self-confidence, which can positively shape his or her developmental progress in the classroom.

Get creative with conversation. Lively dialog is crucial to getting your kids to listen and share, so have all family members tell their favorite part or biggest challenge of the day. Not only will this give everyone a glimpse into each other's routine, but it will also help kids expand their vocabulary with new and intriguing words.

Be specific in your questions. Instead of just inquiring about the day at school, ask about a particular book the child may be reading or an art project he or she may be crafting. This will help the child foster ideas and opinions about the assignment that he or she may not have previously considered.

Let kids plan the menu. Getting children involved in the planning aspect of dinner gets them accustomed to thinking ahead and following step-by-step directions. Additionally, cooking is a great way to have them practice their math skills, such as adding fractions.

MORE RESOURCES TO SHARE WITH PARENTS

Make Mealtime Family Time
Make Mealtime Family Time™ exists to encourage families with children, including teenagers, to make mealtime a family time priority. The site includes many resources, including a set of 32 Mealtime Conversation-Starter Cards.

Get Involved: The Importance of Family Mealtime
This resource from the U.S. Department of Human Services explains why family mealtimes are important and offers topics families might talk about at mealtime.

NuNews: Nutrition News Your Kids Can Use
NuNews offers printable newsletters for parents on nutrition topics. These informative articles are perfect for printing on the back side of school lunch menus that you send home. Articles are available in both English and Spanish.

Strengthen Your Family Bonds by Eating Dinner Together
Print out and send home this brochure from the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension Division.