At Brighter Bites, we value teaching families how to use and choose a different kind of fast food, and this semester we have amplified our efforts at our 15 Dallas-area Elementary Schools. With the kick off of the spring semester, our Dallas staff presented a deeper emphasis on the food literacy and food engagement program pillars of the Brighter Bites program.
Since teaching our kids to make healthy choices takes support from both their schools and their guardians, Brighter Bites works with school administrators and teachers, as well as parents and other family members, to ensure that children feel empowered to make bright, healthy food choices.
At schools, we train and support the teachers who utilize the interactive CATCH (Coordinated Approach to Child Health) nutrition lessons in their classroom. Since the beginning of the 2016-17 school year, teachers at the 15 Brighter Bites elementary schools in Dallas have taught more than 800 in-class CATCH lessons. These lessons include themes like Go, Slow and Whoa foods, Physical Activity Means GO, and Snacks for Party GO-ers. (GO foods refer to the healthiest foods: those that grow in the ground; contain one ingredient; do not have added salt, sugar/syrup, oils, cheese, or fats; and are neither nuts or beef.).
Teachers also support and emphasize Brighter Bites by using their own weekly produce as learning tools in math, science, and art. We have enjoyed reading teachers’ comments about the activities they conduct in their classrooms with Brighter Bites produce. Antonio Gallardo Perez, a Pre-K teacher at Lorenzo De Zavala Elementary, told us that he works with his students “on the importance of fruits and vegetables, how to differentiate a fruit from a vegetable, the relationship between color and nutrition, and the food pyramid.” Maria Solis, a 3rd grade teacher at Jack Lowe Sr. Elementary, made bar graphs with her students showing their favorite vegetables. So far teachers have conducted more than 80 activities outside of their CATCH nutrition lessons involving the Brighter Bites produce!
Families are always excited to come to school to get their Brighter Bites produce and materials (nutrition handbooks, recipes, tips sheets, and how to’s). This semester we are making pick up even more engaging by adding a “CATCH Corner” at the distribution, where kids play games that incorporate weekly health messages.
The Dallas Brighter Bites team is grateful for the support and enthusiasm of school administrations and teachers who are going the extra mile and turning their elementary schools into communities of health.
