Great Class Ideas -- From YOU!

When we held our last contest, we were bowled over by the fantastic responses we got from nutrition educators. It was terribly hard to choose a winner, but we thought we shouldn't end there. Instead, we wanted to share a few of our very favorite class ideas, so that you can get inspired too!The last contest was all about food and health classes that people are teaching. We asked our readers to submit the details for a class they are working on. Our winner was Cindy King, the Dining Manager at a large church in Roanoke, VA. She told us...We have started a series of classes for children age 4 thru 5th grade! It's called First Kids University 101. The first 4 weeks I choose to highlight Fruit and Vegetable ingredients  --"Eating below the ground & above the ground." The first 4 classes focused on...

• Beverages (class 1)
• Salads (class 2)
• Entrees (class 3)
• Desserts (class 4).

Each class, we talk about food safety, using a USDA booklet for reference. Then I play a small game or do a "new" food item activity. We then make 2 recipes together. I offer age-appropriate tasks and recruit parents to help. Here were some highlights from those 4 classes...

• Class 1 - Melon smoothies, watermelon lemonade, flavored waters, tips for parents on making fruited ice cubes, and frozen smoothie packages using yogurts/fruits.
• Class 2 - Wonton fruit cups and kale Waldorf salads (using the same fruit salad), Greek couscous salad.
• Class 3 - "Green" Mac & Cheese, very veggie personal pizza class.
• Class 4 - TBD, but I want to try the watermelon cookies, strawberry sparkles, etc from your site.

I have given each child (19 first night, 22 class, 2-primarily repeats but some new children) a folder. They add all handouts to their folder, whether it is recipes we make, additional recipes,info for parents, crosswords, or other games. We gave each child a chef hat/plastic apron and many brought these back to use at the next class too. By the end of the 4-class series, they will have a nice folder with good ideas and recipes for fruits and veggies. I have used several posters -- Fall in Love with Salad, Fruits and Veggies Make You a Winner, Get ahead with Veggies, the Nutrition Tree, etc in my displays and lessons.Your site is my "go-to" resource as I am busy running our commercial kitchen for daily meals and many special events. The classes are just an extra. In whatever way you will be using this info, I hope it helps others with children's classes. If we show what fruits & veggies really taste like when they are young, those preferences hopefully will stay with them!Thanks so much Cindy! We hope that your class really takes off!Would YOU like to teach these classes? We've got tons of resources that will make it a snap! And stay tuned -- we'll be featuring other award-winning class ideas throughout the month.Class One: Beverages

• Don't Drink Your Calories poster, color handout tearpad, and/or PowerPoint show
• Are You Drinking Candy? poster or color handout tearpad
• Being Healthy is as Easy as ABC poster or color handout download
• Nutrition poster
• Real Food Grows Poster
• Basic Nutrition -- handout set, and/or poster set

Class Two: Salads

• Salad Secrets cookbook and presentation kit
• Fiber PowerPoint and handout set
• Fall in Love with Salad poster 
• Name that Fruit or Veggie game
• Vegetable Bulletin Board Kit
• Fruits and Veggies Make You a Winner poster

Class Three: Entrees

• Portion Control Don't go Overboard poster, Scale Down Your Portions poster or banner, portion control handouts, PowerPoint show, and/or premium presentation.
• Celebrate Your Inner Chef workshop
• MyPlate posters -- overview, jumbo, or especially for kids
• MyPlate color handout tearpads -- general or especially for kids
• MyPlate presentations -- MyPlate overview, MyPlate Bingo, or MyPlate trivia
• MyPlate accessories -- MyPlate activity book, MyPlate aprons, MyPlate stickers, MyPlate notepads, etc
• MyPlate resource bundle

Class Four: Desserts

• FREE Healthful Fruit Dessert Book
• Fruit Bulletin Board Kit
• Seven Remarkable Summer Fruit Desserts
• Fruit Dessert Presentation Tips
• Colors of Health Fruit and Vegetable Poster

Get inspired! Here's a list of some of our very top sellers, to help you brainstorm your next class!

• Fat and Sugar Awareness Set -- What's in Your Food?
• Basic Nutrition Poster Set
• Diabetes -- 12 Lessons Program,
• Premium Heart Education Kit
• How to Read a Nutrition Facts Label -- handout, poster, PowerPoint presentation and/or resource bundle
• Exercise -- handout, poster, and/or PowerPoint presentation