Park and recreation agencies across the country are creating healthier communities by implementing Healthy Eating, Physical Activity (HEPA) standards through NRPA’s Commit to Health campaign. Join the movement and encourage your community to eat healthy and get moving with NRPA’s new nutrition literacy curriculum, Commit to Health: Foods of the Month.
The Commit to Health: Foods of the Month nutrition literacy curriculum is specifically designed to provide park and recreation agencies with the tools and resources they need to educate youth and families about the importance of eating healthy and being physically active. The year-long curriculum highlights two foods each month, showcasing the nutritional value and health benefits they provide, as well as incorporating fun, hands-on, age-appropriate activities. All of the materials provided are free, easily accessible and downloadable. The curriculum includes:
Foods of the Month Calendar: Use the Foods of the Month Calendar to plan your out-of-school time nutrition education activities for the entire year. Don’t forget to print the calendar and display it at your park and recreation sites!
Lesson Plan Guide: Use the monthly lesson plan guide to implement the Commit to Health: Foods of the Month nutrition literacy curriculum. The lesson plan guide is divided into suggested weekly activities that include experiential activities; coloring and activity sheets; fun, being active tips; and USDA MyPlate activities. Two age-appropriate lesson plan guides are available for each month: one for grades K-2 and another for grades 3-5.
Foods of the Month Posters: Display the Foods of the Month Posters each month at your park and recreation sites! Posters illustrate the corresponding Foods of the Month and contain detailed information on nutrient content as well as examples of each food.
Newsletter with Tips and Healthy Recipes: A newsletter is available each month for both Foods of the Month. Each newsletter contains information about the Foods of the Month, including nutrient content and varieties, additional tips and facts about the foods, and healthy recipes that families can try at home.
Coloring and Activity Pages: Children will enjoy exploring and learning about the foods of the month with coloring and activity pages for each food.
Fun, Experiential Activities: A variety of fun, experiential activities can be conducted with the foods of the month, encouraging constant learning and incorporating skills such as reading, math, language, etc.
USDA MyPlate and Other Fun, Healthy Activities: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has some amazing resources available for educating children about nutrition and physical activity. Each month, use some of these free resources to enhance your programs.
Fun, Being Active Tips: We can’t forget about the importance of physical activity! Each month, try some fun and exciting activities to get your community up and moving!
Resources for the Home Newsletter: Provide parents with some additional resources each month! This monthly family engagement newsletter contains nutrition and physical activity tips for families!
Allison Colman is NRPA’s Program Manager.