Healthy Kids are Happy Kids!. Building a Healthy Food Environment at your School Meghan Holness, BSc Food & Nutrition Community Education Supervisor Regina Education and Action on Child Hunger Chelsea Brown, RD Nutrition Health Educator Health Promotion Population and Public Health Services

Outline  Comprehensive school community Health and a healthy food environment  Nutrition Education – Teaching Nutrition in SK: Concepts and Resources  Foods Served and sold in school – Using Healthy foods for my School  Promoting local, healthy foods in school – “The Big Crunch”

Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities: How You Can Make a Difference

COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL COMMUNITY HEALTH

HOW OUR ENVIRONMENTS IMPACT OUR HEALTH

Supportive Environments for Physical Activity Gym class Safe and active routes to school Standing desks Stretch/energy breaks Recess Schoolyard design and accessibility B & A Programs

Activity 1.Write down 5 foods that you ate today or yesterday. 2.What factors affected your food choices?

The Food Environment  the food and beverage choices  accessible to a person where they live, work, eat, learn, rest and play.  The product placement, pricing, marketing and advertising of foods and beverages  all have a direct impact on a person’s food choice.  It can make healthy choices easy or difficult.

The School Food Environment Foods Served and sold Appearance Foods promoted Placement Price Role modeling The lunchroom/eating environment Nutrition education in the classroom

Examples of Food Environments that support healthy Eating -Attractive and appealing healthy options front and centre in vending machine, canteen, cafeteria -Healthy options at a more affordable price than other options -Variety -School staff modeling healthy eating habits -Getting students involved in healthy menu planning and meal prep -Having a school food policy that is implemented, communicated and monitored. -Posters and signs advertising healthy options and fun catchy slogans -Planting a school garden and involving the whole school community. -Food is not used as a reward for students.

Examples of School Food Environments that do NOT support Healthy Eating Habits -Vending machines with limited healthy options -Hot lunch days providing limited healthy options -Limited healthy options in the cafeteria or canteen -Schools that are built within walking distance of fast food and convenience stores. -School Staff providing food as a reward -School Staff modeling unhealthy eating habits in front of students. -Advertising of foods with poor nutritional value in the school.

What’s the harm, it’s just a treat…right?

FOODS SERVED & SOLD IN SCHOOL USING HEALTHY FOODS FOR MY SCHOOL Healthy Physical & Social Environments / Effective Policy

 To help schools choose healthier packaged foods that are at least “choose sometimes” foods.  Helps others know which foods to bring into schools.  To advocate for accessibility of healthier food from the food industry Healthy Foods for my School

USING Healthy Foods for my School First Select a Food Group…

USING Healthy Foods for my School Flavoured Yogurt Example Ingredients List: 17

Yogurt 18

Flavoured Yogurt 19

LETS PRACTICE! Choose Most Often, Choose Sometimes, Choose Least Often

NUTRITION EDUCATION TEACHING NUTRITION IN SK: CONCEPTS AND RESOURCES High Quality Teaching and Learning

Three Sections 1.Nutrition Concepts and Resources 2.Nutrition Background information 3.Nutrition Resources and References

NUTRITION CONCEPTS AND RESOURCES Teaching Nutrition in Saskatchewan

Nutrition Concepts and Resources Section

NUTRITION BACKGROUND INFORMATION Teaching Nutrition in Saskatchewan

Nutrition Background Info  Basic up to date information  Fact sheets (1-3 pages)  For Educator’s use only

NUTRITION RESOURCES AND REFERENCES Teaching Nutrition in Saskatchewan

Hyper link for most of the resources and references listed Nutrition Resources & References

Grade 4: An example

Grade 4 Nutrition Concepts What is Healthy Eating – Canada’s Food Guide – Regular Eating Habits – Water and Beverages  Nutrition Truths  Opportunities and Barriers to Healthy Eating  Healthy Food Choices  Taking Action on Healthy Eating  Weight Bias  Determinants of Health  Take Action on Healthy Eating

Grade 4 Nutrition Resources

Public Health Nutritionists of Saskatchewan - August 2013

PROMOTING LOCAL HEALTHY FOODS “THE BIG CRUNCH!” Family and Community Engagement / High Quality Teaching and Learning / Healthy Physical & Social Environments / Policy

THE BIG CRUNCH Students crunch down on a local carrot Learn about food from field to table Get excited about healthy eating Watch this Video from FoodShare.net: wf?config= cdd4/en/config.xml

FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Kids share knowledge with their family Involvement of community members and partnerships

EFFECTIVE POLICY Support local food Supports school food policy Promote sustainability Build relationships with local farmers

HIGH QUALITY TEACHING AND LEARNING Teacher resource package available Big Crunch can fit into different areas of curriculum Teachers to decide what and how much is taught

HEALTHY PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS Local carrots crunched in the school Kids can prepare the carrots Conversations about local and healthy food Healthy Eating in a fun and safe environment

In Conclusion… Comprehensive school community Health and a healthy food environment Nutrition Education – Teaching Nutrition in SK: Concepts and Resources Foods Served and sold in school – Using Healthy foods for my School Promoting local, healthy foods in school – “The Big Crunch”

Links/Resources Comprehensive School Community Health: Healthy School Planner: hsp.uwaterloo.ca/ hsp.uwaterloo.ca/ Nourishing Minds: Towards Comprehensive School Community Health: Nutrition Policy Development in Saskatchewan Schools Healthy Foods for my School: Teaching Nutrition in SK: The Big Crunch: Food Share: CHEP: REACH Website: Facebook: Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region Health Website: Facebook:

Contact Information Chelsea Brown, RD Nutrition Health Educator Health Promotion Department Population and Public Health Services Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (RQHR) Phone: (306) Meghan Holness REACH Community Education Supervisor Phone: (306)