Seabourn Elementary Promotes Healthy Eating

The Mesquite News ran an article about Seabourn Elementary’s Brighter Bites program in the Dallas, TX area this week. Read the article here or below.

Seabourn Elementary has partnered with Brighter Bites, a Houston-based nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly to families, to encourage students and their families to eat more produce and make healthier choices.

For eight weeks in the fall and eight weeks in the spring, Brighter Bites provides 5,000 pounds of fresh produce to Seabourn every week.

Seabourn Principal Renea Kern said the school has “Wellness Wednesdays” in which food trucks arrive at about 8:30 a.m. bringing fresh fruits and vegetables. From there the volunteer parents organize individual bags, and each family that has signed up to be part the program takes home about 25 pounds of fresh produce every week. Teachers also get a bag of produce delivered to their classrooms to use in a weekly educational activity to teach students about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables.

“After hearing about this program from another district I did some further research and thought it would be a great opportunity for our families,” Kern said. “We see so many of our students with chips, candy and soda that we wanted to try and make a positive influence towards healthier choices.”

Kern said after filling out an online application a Brighter Bites representative reached out to discuss how to bring this program to Seabourn.

“We are all about building communities of health through fresh food. We do that through fresh produce and nutrition education,” said Jenna Babbitt of Brighter Bites.

All Seabourn families are eligible to sign up for this program. Not only does each family receive fresh produce weekly, they also get recipes they can try at home with the produce provided that week.

“Brighter Bites provides samples of the recipe included with the produce when the parents pick up their bags. Additionally, our students get to experience the new produce each week with their teachers during the required produce activity,” Kern said. “Our students and families are learning how to make healthier food choices and try new things without the cost this would otherwise bring. Through the Brighter Bites program and the CATCH program that is already available in our district, we are supporting a healthier lifestyle.

“Our students and families are opting to choose healthier foods, and physical activity is encouraged and celebrated. We are on our way to making lifelong changes with the support of Brighter Bites,” she added.