March is National Nutrition Month, an annual information campaign that takes place to help develop healthy habits and make informed choices about food. One key to developing healthy habits is having access to healthy foods.
The ABC Science Collaborative and its partners recognize that not all students have the same access to healthy food and nutrition support. Children and families across the country experience many factors that cause food insecurity, defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as, the lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life. According to Feeding America’s “Map the Meal Gap 2023” report, 8 in 10 counties experiencing high food insecurity are located in the South.
To help North Carolina schools connect students and families with resources, The ABC Science Collaborative and N.C. Integrated Care for Kids (NC-InCK) created a Food and Nutrition Support Guide for educators supporting students and families in their community. In this guide, there is information on federal, state, and nonprofit programs as well as how to get started in supporting a student facing food insecurity.
Learning about nutrition is an essential part of healthy child development. In addition to supporting students experiencing food insecurity, schools and teachers can provide nutritional education to their students in a variety of ways. Ideas from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for schools include:
- Ask a “nutrition question of the day” with prizes
- Practice reading nutrition facts labels
- Develop a lesson around how plants grow food, from seed to harvest
- Vote for your favorite fruits and vegetables and discuss different ways to include them in your meals or snacks
Find more ideas for activities.
National Nutrition Month was founded by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and is observed by organizations including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the American Heart Association, and more.
Additional resources for schools during National Nutrition Month: