Hamilton Elementary students learn that exercise and calcium-rich foods with Vitamin D, from the dairy group, keep their bones strong for life.

 

What better way to learn about where milk comes from and what foods are made from milk, you ask? A story about a magical cow of course!

 

Childhood and adolescence is a critical time period for bone building and consuming calcium-rich foods with Vitamin D to keep bones strong for life! Did you know that strength-building and weight-bearing activities keeps our bones strong too? Hamilton Elementary students try Shape of Yoga to get their bones strong for life.

 

Pre-kindergarten students try a modified Apple Tree pose!

 

 1st grade students try the Fruit Smoothie pose!

2nd grade students try the Standing Carrot Stick.

 

Want to give yoga a try? Follow our UC CalFresh Nutrition Staff as they demonstrate a few Shape of Yoga poses.

 Standing Carrot Stick

 

Folding Quesadilla

Broccoli Lunge

 

Fruit Smoothie

Apple Tree

 

 If you give Shape a Yoga a try, feel free to share your pictures with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram @UCCalFreshFC.

 

 

 March is National Nutrition Month!!!

Click here for tips and handouts to make this month and this year the healthiest yet!

Healthy snacks and beverages are an integral part of a child's diet because they can help our children consume the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients needed for optimal growth. 

Children have smaller stomachs than adults, which means that they may get hungry in between meals. Therefore, it is important that they learn how to distinguish between treats and healthy snacks.

To assist me in this endeavor with my Vang Pao Elementary School students, I introduced James and Ethan, two characters in the book, Looking After Me: Eating Well, by Liz Gogerly and Mike Gordon. In the story the students learned that eating too many treats can make us sick, but they also learned, along with James, that eating well is the secret to staying fit and healthy. 

Here is what my 2nd grade Vang Pao Elementary students had to say about eating well...

Shout out to Maria Mendez's second grade class for their great responses! 

For tips on healthy snacking, visit choosemyplate.gov.

Building and forging healthy habits can seem daunting or intimidating, at first.

Cost and time are common concerns and barriers towards incorporating healthy snacks and meals into your life; however, with just a few simple strategies like planning meals ahead of time, cooking large one-pot meals, and buying and shopping for foods that are currently on sale, you can help stretch food dollars and save time when it counts!

The UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program strives to empower parents, students, and the community at large to make healthy food choices while simultaneously staying active. We empower our participants by arming them with the skills, knowledge, and self-efficacy necessary to be informed consumers and health advocates for themselves and their families.  

 

 

The UC CalFresh Nutrition Education team hosted a 4-week Plan, Shop, Save, and Cook series where Vang Pao Elementary parents gained skills in shopping, saving, and preparing meals while staying within their food budget. 

 

Participants brainstorm family meals!

 

Give it up for our Vang Pao Elementary parents who successfully completed the Plan, Shop, Save, and Cook series.

 

Our participants are eager to share what they learned and want to encourage you to make healthy food changes for yourself. Join us and post your #healthyselfie to encourage others in your community to make healthy food choices. Together we can make for a healthier California!

 

Need inspiration? Here are our Vang Pao parents' #healthyselfies.

 

Kindergarten students at Birney Elementary had a lot of fun learning about grains with their nutrition educator, Mrs. Rogers!

The students read the book, Macaroni and Rice and Bread by the Slice, which taught them about the difference between whole grains and refined grains.

Mrs. Rogers brought along a model of a whole grain to show the students that all three parts (the brain, germ, and endosperm) provide us with the fiber, vitamins and minerals, and energy that we need, as Mrs. Rogers says it, "to last us the whole day long."

To check the students' understanding, Mrs. Rogers brought examples of rice, pasta, tortillas, and bread of all different kinds. As she held each one up the students had to give a "thumbs up" if it was a whole grain, or a "thumbs down" if it was a refined grain. All of the students expressed their love of popcorn, and were excited when they found out that it was a grain.

Every student got involved when Mrs. Rogers did the grains song, which got their bodies moving and their hearts pumping. Since grains give us energy, she thought she would have them use a little bit of it while she was there!