Healthy children develop healthy habits to become healthy adults
April 29, 2021
You’re never too young to develop healthy habits, and that’s why the Food Bank of Delaware recently launched the Healthy Childhood Project aimed at teaching children, ages 3-5, and their families to improve – and enjoy — healthy nutrition and physical activity.
In fact, the program’s core focus is a 13-week curriculum created by our nutrition educators based on nutrition and activity. The program encourages youngsters to try a variety of new fruits and vegetables – promoting healthy eating habits.
“One of our goals is to open their minds to the possibilities of new foods,” said Alicia Vogel, one of the SNAP educators. “Our goal is to get 60 kids participating, even with COVID limitations.”
Because of current COVID-19 restrictions and protocols, our Food Bank educators have created a way to deliver materials and monitor progress of preschoolers and children in early childhood centers: after a center joins the program, an educator drops the materials off since outside educators can’t visit the center to teach the lessons in person.
Each week, staff members at participating centers receive optional classroom activities that include a read-aloud book, plus suggestions for cooking, planting, or crafting, in addition to the sensory activity of tasting a new fruit or vegetable and a physical activity.
Mrs. Marlette’s Colorful World Daycare is a recent program participant. The children participated in the first lesson about apples.
“It was a wonderful experience for the children,” Marlette Lofland said.
The Food Bank asks staff at each participating center to complete a post-module survey electronically.
In addition, Food Bank Nutrition Educators can offer virtual family engagement activities and programs, and educators will also being doing community outreach to neighborhood grocery stories to improve the food environment for families.
To learn more about the Healthy Childhood Project, please contact:
New Castle County
Jaime Sherman
Culinary and Nutrition Educator
(302) 292-1305 ext 273
jsherman@fbd.org
Kent/Sussex Counties
Alicia Vogel
Community Nutrition Educator
(302) 424-3301 ext 119
avogel@fbd.org
