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Healthy Schoolhouse 2.0 Professional Development

American University’s Department of Health Studies is sharing nutrition education concepts that you can easily implement in your kindergarten through grade 5 classrooms in 15-20 minutes.

Get Credit for Your Lesson

Tell us about your MyPlate lesson, and earn Continuing Education Credit:

I taught a lesson!

 

Lesson One: MyPlate

MyPlate

10:23

This session from American University’s Department of Health Studies covers MyPlate and the five food groups.

MyPlate serves as a starting point for building healthy meals. MyPlate provides basic guidelines that help decide what and how much to eat. The resources below will help you gain a better understanding of MyPlate and how it can help make healthy eating simple.

Who remembers the Food Pyramid? Former First Lady Michelle Obama swapped the food pyramid with a much simpler graphic known as MyPlate. Explore this website to get an overview of different aspects of MyPlate from nutrition to physical activity.

Watch this 10 minute video explaining what it means to be healthy and to get acquainted to all things MyPlate.

Do you ever have trouble finding reliable information about nutrition? There’s a lot of information out there and knowing what sources to trust is important. Read this article by North Dakota State University to learn tips and tricks to navigate the world of nutrition information.

Do your meals lack variety? Watch What’s on MyPlate to get some ideas of simple swaps to make your plates more balanced.

Is all of this feeling like a lot of new information? If so, read this article on building a better plate. It breaks it down to just a few simple tips.

Now that we understand the basis of MyPlate, we can strive to make small tweaks to the meals we already eat more balanced. Read through this Food Network article to find 20 simple recipes that are all in line with MyPlate. Warning: everything looks delicious!

We know how important it is to have a healthy diet and physical activity is just as important for a healthy lifestyle. Read this page from the NIH on simple ways to add some more activity to your daily life.

Now that you have a better understanding of all things MyPlate, lets translate this knowledge into a lesson you can do with your students. Click on the grade level or special you teach to get a lesson plan on MyPlate.

Click through 7 slides to see how the colors of fruits and vegetables offer unique health benefits.

Read 4 tips to eat more Vegetables and Fruits and all the benefits they provide to fight disease.

How to make a Quick and Easy Veggie Flatbread – pizza done right!

Spend 2.5 minutes learning about Powerhouse Fruits and Veggies. You’ll never guess which one earned #1 spot.

Take a few minutes to let us know what you thought, and well send your CEU certificate right away!

I've Finished MyPlate!

Lesson Two: Eating in Color

Eating in Color

9:03

This session from American University’s Department of Health Studies covers how to add variety to your diet by “eating in color.”

Now that we are familiar with the concept of MyPlate and the five food groups, we are zooming in on the two groups that are packed with vitamins, nutrients, and fiber. Can you guess who we are talking about? Fruits and Vegetables!

Watch this video to learn the basics of eating in color.

Need a quick refresh on USDA’s MyPlate? Watch this 2 minute video on How to Follow the USDA MyPlate Dietary Guidelines

Read Eating the Rainbow to learn more about why eating a colorful diet is important for overall health and well-being. This article will also give you tips and tricks to make eating more fruits and veggies easy.

Watch local nutrition guru, Coach Tate, discuss easy swaps you can make to eat more colorfully.

Read and Watch two dietitians serve up The Ultimate Meal Planning Guide

Watch the video H-E-B: Eat the Rainbow with Bruce and Charlotte to learn how to eat fruits and vegetables of every color in a yummy stir fry.

Review these sample lessons and activities to help your students eat more fruits and veggies.

Watch Tabitha Brown Teach Kalen to Eat Vegetables in 8 minutes and see a picky eater try some new foods. Vegetables are delicious when prepared with a side of laughter!

Click through 7 slides to see how the colors of fruits and vegetables offer unique health benefits.

Read 4 tips to eat more Vegetables and Fruits and all the benefits they provide to fight disease.

How to make a Quick and Easy Veggie Flatbread – pizza done right!

Spend 2.5 minutes learning about Powerhouse Fruits and Veggies. You’ll never guess which one earned #1 spot.

Take a few minutes to let us know what you thought, and well send your CEU certificate right away!

I've Finished Eating in Color!

Lesson Three: A Balanced Plate

Balanced Plate

6:38

This session from American University’s Department of Health Studies covers how to create a more balanced plate.

Most of us hear about the importance of eating a balanced diet. But how do we go about getting a variety of foods from each food group? We’re putting it all together today with tips and ideas for making all 5 come alive.

Watch this video to learn the importance of making your meals more balanced.

Want to eat healthier but don’t know where to start? Read this article for 25 tips you can start building into your diet today!

Watch this video to quickly learn How to Create a Healthy Plate. Be sure to share it with your students, its kid friendly!

Do you think eating healthy is out of reach for bank account? Watch this video and learn How to Eat Healthy on a Budget.

Need more tips to plan balanced meals? Or some new recipe ideas? Read Fitbit’s Guide to Building a Balanced Plate

Use this Grocery List Planner to visualize including a variety of foods in your daily diets.

 

Review these sample lessons and activities to help your students balance their plates with all the food groups.

Bummed when you pull out that bunch of broccoli and it’s soft and moldy? Read these tips for storing fruits and vegetables to Keep your Produce Fresh Longer and bursting with flavor.

Need some tips for navigating the grocery store? Watch as Coach Tate guides us through the aisles towards healthy meals.

Become a Grocery Store Ninja with these tips and tricks from Fit Men Cook.

Watch What is she cooking? make 3 Healthy and Simple Meals in Under 30 minutes

For some fresh meal ideas and relaxing jazz, check out 31 One-Pot Meals

If you wanted someone to write a grocery list for you, here it is 50 Healthy Foods for Back-to-Basics Wellness. Your meals would be on point every week if you ate 6 or 7 of these foods each day.

Take a few minutes to let us know what you thought, and well send your CEU certificate right away!

I've Finished A Balanced Plate!

Lesson Four: Nutrients

Nutrients

10:45

This session from American University’s Department of Health Studies covers Nutrients and fueling your body right.

Since we understand what MyPlate is, it’s time to focus on why each of the food groups is important. Eating from the five different food groups is how we get different nutrients. Nutrients are how we keep our bodies strong and healthy.

The food you eat is fuel for every single action you do. Watch this video to learn more about how different nutrients fuel our day-to-day activities.

Now let’s dive a bit deeper and learn more about the 6 different classes of nutrients. Watch this 3-minute video to familiarize yourself with different types of nutrients.

Did you know how you cook your food matters? Heat can alter the nutritional value of your food. Read this article to learn more about the best cooking methods to retain as many nutrients as possible!

The five food groups are just a start to eating a balanced diet. Adding herbs in your cooking is an incredible way to pack an extra nutrient boost. Read this article to learn about 10 herbs you might already be using and why they are so important!

One way to add loads of nutrients by consuming just one servings of a food is through eating more super foods! Watch this video to learn more about adding super foods to your diet.

It’s impossible to eat perfectly. But we can focus on getting in some important nutrients that we tend not to get enough of. Read this article that lists nutrients we tend to miss and where to easily find them.

Let’s translate this nutrient knowledge into a lesson you can do with your students. Click on the grade level or special you teach to get a lesson plan on Nutrients.

One of the reasons fruits and veggies are so important is because they are jam packed with antioxidants! Watch this video to learn more about antioxidants and simple foods to boost your antioxidants.

Did you know what you eat directly impacts how you feel? Watch Dr. Tracey Marks talk about how the nutrients you eat can boost your mental health and mood.

Take a few minutes to let us know what you thought, and well send your CEU certificate right away!

I've Finished Nutrients!

Lesson Five: Sometimes Foods

Sometimes Foods

10:25

This session from American University’s Department of Health Studies covers sometimes foods and reading a nutrition label.

Have you ever heard the saying “everything in moderation”? That’s exactly what Sometimes Foods are, foods you can eat guilt-free some of the time! Look through the resources below to find quick and easy swaps to pack an extra nutrient punch.

Read this sheet on the difference between Sometimes Foods and Anytime Foods. This is also a handout you can give to your students.

How do we decide what to eat? There are many factors that play a big part in our food choices. Watch this video to learn more: Healthy Schoolhouse 2.0 Sometimes Foods

Watch this video on how to read a food label so you can better decide what to eat and what not to eat. BONUS- this video is kid friendly, so you can play it for your students!

Check out this article by Johns Hopkins Medicine for 5 easy swaps that will keep you full and cut down on extra calories!

Want more swaps? Watch/read this page for some additional nutrient-rich foods you can swap into your daily diet.

Lesson time! Here are lessons and activities to do with your students to teach them about “Sometimes Foods.” Click on the grade level or special you teach to get a lesson plan on Sometimes Foods.

Packaged foods often get a bad reputation. But sometimes reaching for an easy snack is all we can do. Read this article in which renowned Nutritionist Maya Feller gives her recommendations for healthy and yummy snacks that are also kid friendly!

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be a life altering change. Read this article to find simple healthy swaps that you will barely even notice.

Does eating healthier at mealtimes sound doable but afraid you’ll have to give up your desserts? Have no fear! Here are 51 delicious desserts that are healthier versions of the ones you are already eating.

Trading unhealthier foods for healthier versions is important, but so is how we cook our food. Read this article to find out ways to cook that are healthier for you.

Take a few minutes to let us know what you thought, and we'll send your CEU certificate right away!

I've Finished Sometimes Foods!