Refresh Social Media Content **Share pictures from your classroom education to post on school social media sites. ** Month Content/Category Twitter Facebook Hashtags/Additional Information to be included with the posts October What s so Great about Nutrition? Farmers Markets/Locally Grown Benefits of eating fruits and veggies Tasting: Apple (3) Choose different colored fruits and veggies for a variety of vitamins and minerals? Kids can pick the colors! Visit your farmers market as a family for local produce. Try 2 new fruits or veggies. Kids at [INSERT SCHOOL] are learning to eat foods from all food groups. Show your child how to include foods from every food group. [INSERT GRADE] kids are tasting apples this month. Have your own tasting @ home with a variety of apples from the grocery store! This month, [INSERT GRADE] students at [INSERT SCHOOL] are learning about healthy foods that we should eat every day like fruits and vegetables. Let your child wash produce and help with meal prep. [INSERT GRADE] at [INSERT SCHOOL] are learning about locally grown foods. Take a family field trip to your local farmers market. Pick a new fruit or veggie to try while you are there! Students are learning the benefits of choosing healthy foods this month. Make a pledge with your child to eat fruits and veggies every day. Apples are in season now! [INSERT GRADE] students at [INSERT SCHOOL] are learning about locally grown foods this month and tasting different types of apples. Have an apple tasting at home and see what type of apple your family likes best! #appletasting #tasting #apples #buylocal #eatsmartmd #farmersmarkets #local produce
November Heritage and Ethnic Foods Crops Specific to MD Processed vs. unprocessed foods Food Transport Tasting: Pumpkin Parfait Students are learning about how the food we eat gets from the farm to the table. Ask your child about it. Do you know which crops are grown in MD? See if your child can name a few. tasted pumpkin parfait this month. Look for the recipe on the newsletter and try it together! This month students at [insert school] are learning about foods eaten for the 1st Thanksgiving. Ask your child what foods at your Thanksgiving meal are the same as the 1st Thanksgiving. Students are tasting pumpkin parfait at school this month. Try this seasonal recipe with your child www.go.umd.edu/pparfait.. Did your family like it? #pumpkintasting #pumpkin parfait #ethnic #healthysnacks #healthytreats #thanksgiving December Sharing Family Meals Incorporate Fruits and Veggies into Meals Participate and Teamwork for all family members Tasting: Apple Cranberry Salad Toss Have you shared a meal as a family lately? Try it tonight! Come together, prepare, eat and share a conversation. Family meals can be simple! Even a quick sandwich or healthy snack can include great conversation. Students at [INSERT SCHOOLl]are tasting Apple Cranberry Salad Toss. Try this recipe or create your own your favorite fruits and vegetables! are learning about family meals this month. Work as a team to make a family meal. Kids can choose and help prep fruits and veggies, mix ingredients or set the table. Try it tonight! Did you know that kids who share family meals eat healthier and do better in school? Start up a fun conversation at meal time! Need some ideas? go.umd.edu/dinnerq Why should you eat fruits and veggies? Kids are more likely to eat them if you do! Be a healthy role model for your child. #familymeals #appletoss #teamwork #cooperation #shareameal January Variety: Importance of eating fruits and veggies Eating a variety of fruits Kids are learning to eat a variety of fruits and veggies this month.. Try something from each color Fruits and vegetables are always a good choice. See how many colors you can get in one day. More colors=more vitamins and minerals. #variety #confettispaghetti #foodadvertising #eattherainbow
and veggies=variety of nutrients received Food Advertising Tasting: Confetti Spaghetti of the rainbow for more nutrients. Our [INSERT GRADE] students are making Confetti Spaghetti this month. Try this colorful recipe @ home! go.umd.edu/spaghetti. Have a family challenge and see who had the most colors. are tasting confetti spaghetti. Ask your child how many vegetables it contained. Which was their favorite? Do your kids want you to buy foods they see on TV or in advertisements? Students are learning to make healthy food choices and encourage their friends to eat healthy too. Make a grocery list together and include some of their favorite fruits and veggies. #varietyisthespiceoflif e February Water for Healthy Bodies Water Cycle Water from fruits and veggies Maintaining hydration Tasting: Valentine Red Food Tasting The importance of physical activity [INSERT GRADE] kids are tasting red fruits & veggies. Have your own tasting @ home with red peppers, grape tomatoes or strawberries! Fruits and veggies are a great source of water! Take them on the go as a healthy snack. Bring water to drink in your reusable water bottle. Students are tasting red foods this month at [INSERT SCHOOL]. See how many red fruits and veggies your kids can find in the produce aisle! Kids need 60 minutes of activity a day. Share some ideas over family dinner! Suggest a walk, bike ride, game of hide and seek or tag. This month, [INSERT GRADE] students at [INSERT SCHOOL] are tasting red fruits and veggies. Have your own red foods tasting at home with fruits & veggies like red peppers, strawberries or tomatoes. See which one is your family s favorite! Did you know that water helps our bodies with digestion and maintaining proper body temperature? Plain water, infused water or fruits and veggies are great choices to stay hydrated. Be happy and hydrated! Get moving with the kids! Kids who are physically active are able to focus better and are better behaved. Keep it simple with a walk or game of catch. #water #drinkwater #tasting #redfoods #redfruits #redveggies #redfoodtasting
March Environmental Literacy Going Green Planting seeds and gardening as low cost source of produce Tasting: Great Green Foods St. Patrick s Day are tasting green foods this month. Ask them what their favorite green food was that they tried. Have a green tasting at home! Seeds are super! Why? They are nutrition powerhouses containing fiber, protein and more. Try beans, peas or nuts as a snack, salad topper or add them to your casserole recipe. Celebrate St. Patrick s Day by eating as many healthy green foods as you can! Lettuce, kale, spinach, kiwi or green grapes are a great start! Have a healthy and happy St. Patrick s Day. Celebrate with a family green foods tasting. Try green fruits or veggies like kale, spinach or kiwi. Have your family vote on their favorite! Go green this spring! Start a garden, recycle, turn off the lights and water and buy local produce. You can make an impact with small changes. Save money this summer! Start a family garden. Enjoy your own homegrown, healthy, fresh fruits and veggies. Gardening is good physical activity too! #gogreen #plantingagarden #greenfoods #seedsaregreat #growyourfood #sustainable April Whole Grains Refined Grains MyPlate Label reading Tasting: Whole Grain Foods Go with the grain! Ask your child how to tell if a food is made with whole grains. Try 2 new whole grain foods with the family this week! [INSERT GRADE] students are learning about how the great whole grains are this month. Create a whole grains shopping list with the kids. are tasting whole grains this month. See which whole grain they preferred. Have kids pick whole grain foods for an athome tasting! Revamp your pantry with the kids. Kids can help swap out 3 refined grains for whole grains. Have your child check the ingredient list and look for whole grain. Do you know what processed means? Processed foods have been through many steps before reaching you. See if your child can identify foods that have been processed at the grocery store. Students are learning to read food labels and check ingredients. Do you know how? Ask your child to teach you how to look for whole grains. #wholegrains #ingredientsmatter #chooseunprocessed #foodlabels #wholegrainsaregreat #wholegraingoodness #myplate
May Energy Balance Energy Equilibrium and balancing food intake Healthy food choices for healthy bodies Physical activity to create energy balance Tasting: Ice Cream in a Bag This month students at [INSERT SCHOOL] are learning about energy balance. Go screen free this week and get moving with the kids! Swim, dance or bike! A healthy body wants to be in energy balance! If you consume more calories than your body needs they are stored as fat. So, move more and eat less! are learning about sometimes foods and all the time foods. Choose fruits and veggies as your all the time foods with your family. Fuel your body with healthy foods for lasting energy. Encourage your child to get moving! Have a family activity challenge. Try to add a few more minutes each day. Instead of watching TV, play a game like simon says or do some family chores together. #energybalance #equilibrium #balance #iceccreaminabag #movemore #healthybodies Students are shaking and tasting Ice Cream in a Bag this month. See if your child enjoyed it. Ask them what they had to do to create the ice cream. Try it at home! go.umd.edu/ice-cream-bag