Center for Weight and Health, U.C. Berkeley

Tool Kit

Fruits & Vegetables | Healthy Meals I Healthy Breakfast I Healthy Snacks | Healthy Drinks ||Portion Size

For most children, school is the largest source of meals eaten outside of the home. School food service offers an ideal setting for experiential learning around food for children and for engaging parents in modeling healthy eating habits at home. The goal of this tool kit is to take advantage of the potential of school food service settings to positively influence children’s eating – both at school and at home. The tool kit is designed for use in elementary schools, particularly those serving low-income populations. Activities are included for food service staff to use in school as well as for parents to use at home.

6 nutrition topics are covered in the tool kit:

Fruits and Vegetables

Healthy Meals

Healthy Breakfast

Healthy Snacks

Healthy Drinks

Portion Size

Each topic includes up to 6 components:

Eye-catching Posters to complement the messages from other tool components for posting in the school cafeteria where children routinely see them during school meals. Some free poster samples are provided; others can be purchased from distributors.

Easy, engaging Food Service Activities that food service staff can do with children during school meals.

Fun Music to reinforce the messages from other tool components to be played in the school cafeteria.Some free music can be dowloaded, some can be purchased from distributors.

Parent Newsletter Articles with brief articles in English and in Spanish to be included as part of food service menus or principal or teacher newsletters to parents

One-page Parent Handouts in English and Spanish to be sent home with children, handed out to parents at school events, or posted on a parent bulletin board. Most topics include multiple handouts to give you flexibility. Pick only one or use them all - spread out over the school year.

Recipes included in parent handouts with additional tips often requested by families.

Create your own binder of materials:

You are welcome to download and print copies of the tool kits for your own use. We recommend that you collect tool kit materials into a 3-ring binder (2 inch) and assemble in the following order:

1) Title Page

2) Introduction

3) Acknowledgments

4) Table of contents

5) Cover page (for each topic)

6) Contents for each nutrition topic – English & Spanish – in order listed below

7) Recipe Index

Fruits & Vegetables
Posters
Color Way—Static Cling	English	Spanish
Eat your colors	English	Spanish
Food Staff Activity
You Can Do It!	English	Spanish
Music
Lyrics	Spanish	Spanish
At Least Five	English	Spanish
I can eat a rainbow	English	Spanish
Veggie Queen	English	Spanish
MP3s	Spanish	Spanish
At Least Five	English	Spanish
I can eat a rainbow	English	Spanish
Veggie Queen	English	Spanish
Newsletter Articles
Power Up on Fruits and Veggies	English	Spanish
Fruits and Vegetables: the Healthy Way!	English	Spanish
Parent Handouts
Color Me Healthy Fruits and Vegetables!	English	Spanish
Eat more vegetables and fruit	English	Spanish
Eat more vegetables	English	Spanish
How do I get my kids to eat more Fruits and Vegetables	English	Spanish
How do I get my kids to eat more Fruits and Vegetables - (2)	English	Spanish
Recipes
Fruit and Vegetables	English	Spanish
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Healthy Meals
Posters
Bam—Food + Sleep + Physical Activity = Energy	English	Spanish
Food Staff Activity
"My Healthy Plate" Display	English	Spanish
Taste testing in the Cafeteria	English	Spanish
Taste testing in the Cafeteria—Survey	English	Spanish
Music	English	Spanish
Lyrics	English	Spanish
Power Panther Here	English	Spanish
Super Kids Eat Super Foods	English	Spanish
MP3s	English	Spanish
Delicious and Nutritious	bilingual
Three Times a Day	bilingual
Danger Zone	English	Spanish
From the Ground Up	English	Spanish
So in Love	English	Spanish
Super Kids Eat Super Foods	English	Spanish
Newsletter Articles
Healthy Meals Made Simple!	English	Spanish
Be cool, eat smart and feel great!	English	Spanish
Parent Handouts
Foster good food habits and an active lifestyle	English	Spanish
Teaching good food habits	English	Spanish
Get Packin’… Tips for a healthy lunch box	English	Spanish
Tips for Healthy Cooking	English	Spanish
Tips for Healthy Cooking - (2)	English	Spanish
Recipes
Healthy Meals	English	Spanish
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Healthy Breakfast
Posters
Contemplate your breakfast plate!	English	Spanish
No Breakfast? Is this you?	English	Spanish
Power Up with Breakfast	English	Spanish
Food Staff Activity
Announcing Breakfast	English	Spanish
Rewarding Breakfast	English	Spanish
Music
WMA
Start Right with Breakfast	English	Spanish
Newsletter Articles
Get Straight A’s With a Healthy Breakfast!	English	Spanish
Breakfast—Start your engines	English	Spanish
Increase Fruits and Vegetables in Breakfast	English	Spanish
Parent Handouts
Start Your Day the Healthy Way!	English	Spanish
Power Up with Breakfast	English	Spanish
Why Breakfast?	English	Spanish
Easy Ideas for Quick, Yummy Breakfasts!	English	Spanish
A Good Start	English	Spanish
Breakfast Cereals	English	Spanish
Recipes
Healthy Breakfast	English	Spanish
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Healthy Snacks
Posters
Good for you snack BITES	English	Spanish
Bam—Fuel Up	English	Spanish
Food Staff Activity
Snack Attack	English	Spanish
Newsletter Articles
Grab Quick and Easy Snacks	English	Spanish
Parent Handouts
Why Smart Snacks?	English	Spanish
Quick, Easy and Healthy Snacks	English	Spanish
Eat less sugars and sweets	English	Spanish
Why eat less sugars and sweets?	English	Spanish
Recipes
Healthy Snacks	English	Spanish
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Healthy Drinks
Posters
What’s in Your Drink?	English	Spanish
SUPER SIPPERS	English	Spanish
Food Staff Activity
Sugary Drink Matching Game	English	Spanish
Music
MP3s	English	Spanish
Secret Agent H2O	English	Spanish
Newsletter Articles
‘I’m Thirsty, Mom’. What can I have to drink?	English	Spanish
Healthy Drinks for Your Kids	English	Spanish
Water works	English	Spanish
Parent Handouts
Healthy Drinks for Kids	English	Spanish
Prepare Aguas Frescas	English	Spanish
Healthy Drinks, Healthy Kids	English	Spanish
Recipes
Healthy Drinks	English	Spanish
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Portion Size
Posters
At Home and At School, Healthy Plate & Healthy Tray	English	Spanish
At School: My Healthy Tray	English	Spanish
Food Staff Activity
My Healthy Plate	English	Spanish
Would you like fruit or juice with your lunch?	English	Spanish
Newsletter Articles
What’s on My Healthy Plate?	English	Spanish
Parent Handouts
What’s on My Healthy Plate?	English	Spanish
What’s on My Healthy Plate? - (2)	English	Spanish
Recipes
Portion Size	English	Spanish
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Contact

For more information about the project please contact Lorrene Ritchie at lorrene_ritchie@sbcglobal.net.

This tool kit represents the collective work and contributions of the Center for Weight and Health, University of California Cooperative Extension and numerous schools, school food service staff and school administrators.

Funding for this project was provided by the Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program/USDA.