Healthy Policy/Change

For December you are tasked with implementing a healthy policy or change at your school. You can implement a change in each individual classroom or make a school wide change. 

Healthy Policy/Change Ideas:

 
Classroom Based
 
  • Cooking demo for healthy & fun snack options 
                - Ask your cafeteria staff if they would be able to provide ingredients for you to do a healthy snack demo
                - Be aware of any food allergies in the classroom
                - Look for recipes here
 
  • Eat the Rainbow
                - Assign each student a different color of the rainbow
                - Have them bring in a fruit or vegetable of that color
                - Encourage students to eat a rainbow everday! 
 
  • Weekly fun physical activities that rotate
                 - Take 15 minutes once every two weeks where you learn a new physical activity as a class
                 - Try different activities such as yoga, karate, or new dances from around the world
 
  • Healthy birthday celebrations 
                  - Encourage parents to bring in healthy birthday treats for their children (instead of baked goods)

                  - Ideas could be smoothies, fruit trays, or make your own granola

 

  • Water Challenge 
                  - Encourage students to swap out their drinks for just water 
                  - Allow students to have water bottles in the classroom 
 
Entire School
 
  • Create a School/Community garden program
                   - Look for organizations that offer grants for schools to build gardens
                   - Possible grant organizations: 
                           º Whole Kids Foundation
                           º GardenABCs
                           º Annie's Grants for Gardens
 
  • Get healthy options in the vending machines to replace unhealthy snacks/beverages
                   - Look for organizations that offer grants for healthy vending
                   - Possible grant organizations: 
                           º Fresh Healthy Vending
                           º H.U.M.A.N.
 
  • Plan a school-wide interactive Health/Wellness fair
                   - Invite each classroom in the school to present their own snack/activity to be presented
                   - Invite outside organizations that provide health and wellness resources
                   - Host the health/wellness fair after school hours for families and community members to attend
                   
  • Have a different classroom decorate the cafeteria with healthy foods and nutrition tips each month, or with physical activities in the gym
                   - Assign each classroom (or grade) a month
                   - Have each classroom choose a healthy theme for their month and decorate a room in the school around theme
                   - Ideas: fruit/vegetable theme, sports theme, zero sugary drinks, or other health/wellness topic
 
  • Chose only healthy fundraisers
                   - Sell smoothies or yogurt parfaits instead of candy or cookies
                   - Participate in plant or gift wrapping fundraisers (instead of popcorn or candy)
 
  • Spotlight a new fruit/vegetable in the cafeteria every month

-Work with the cafeteria staff to spotlight a new fruit or vegetable every month

- Encourage students to try the spotlight fruit/vegetable and give a review in class

 
  • Create a "Share Table" program 
                   - Setup a table in the front of the cafeteria 
                   - Students who do not open a food item, can put their unwanted foods on the share table
                   - Students who enjoy those foods can take them!