The Richland County Nutrition Coalition and the Boys and Girls Club of Richland County have teamed up to help educate children on how to identify healthy food options. Members of the Coalition have dedicated one afternoon a month for the past 3 months to work with 2nd and 3rd graders at the Boys and Girls Club as a pilot project for our community’s youth.
Members of the group met with the kids initially to lead fun activities about making healthy snack decisions. The Nutrition Coalition teaches healthy eating habits based on MyPlate guidelines that encourage choosing options that include fruits, vegetables, proteins, dairy, and grains. The Boys and Girls Club members also learned about why nutrition is important and how to share the information with their families.
A main goal for the group was to interact with the kids at a local grocery store to see what information kids know already and where the gaps are when it comes to shopping for healthy food. The kids were split into groups and participated in a scavenger hunt at Reynolds Market. Members of the Coalition helped the children navigate a store map as they found ingredients to three different healthy meal options. As the children hunted for their ingredients, they learned about reading nutrition facts and serving sizes. The groups presented the ingredients they found and reasons why they are the most nutritious options.
The final section of the project was for the group of kids to shop for, prepare, and serve a MyPlate aligned snack to all attending members of the club. Three different snack options were chosen and the kids used their skills to find the healthiest ingredients. Their menu included cucumber sandwiches, popcorn trail mix, and apple peanut butter slices to feed 80 people. The kids used sign directories, math skills, and most importantly nutrition fact labels to fill their carts. The kids loved to use their knowledge and skills to teach their peers about healthy habits.
The Richland County Nutrition Coalition’s goal is to continue to find ways to reach children, families, and individuals in our community who are interested in learning ways to improve their health through nutritious diets. They have hosted cooking classes, food drives, educational classes, and frequently hand out free fresh fruit at fun runs throughout the summer. If you are interested in learning more about the Richland County Nutrition Coalition please visit our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/1rcnc1, and the Pinterest page at http://www.pinterest.com/1rcnc1.
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