Healthy and Non Healthy Foods
Authors: Amber Anderson, Meghan Brown, Kesha Edwards, Caitlin Fisher, Laura Marchello, Jentrie Moore, Kimya Rajabali-Oromi
Faculty Supervisor: Beverly Rowe, MSN, RN, CNE
Community Partner: FACES Preschool
Abstract:
Group 1’s Service-Learning project this semester teaches preschool and kindergarten children about healthy and unhealthy foods. Our main goal is to teach preschool students which foods are nutritious in a way that they would understand and enjoy. First, we started brainstorming ideas, like what our goodie bags would look like, contain and how our video would entertain and engage the children watching. Our goodie bags included fruit snacks, a small water bottle, food-themed stickers, pencils, and straws. We are also sending coloring pages of pictures of healthy foods for the children. Our video features bright colors and dancing fruit animations. A few short clips of each group member explaining different healthy and unhealthy food types. The video ends with the “Fruit Salad” song by the Wiggles. FACES preschool is the community partner that we were assigned. Unfortunately, because of COVID, we are not seeing the kids in person to hand out our goodies bags and teach them directly about healthy foods. Our topic about healthy foods is essential to the young children we teach. Building healthy eating habits while young is essential to a better adolescent and adult life. Eating healthy can reduce the risk of obesity. Healthy foods can also decrease weight in children that are already overweight. Healthy eating helps the body function properly and decreases the risk of diseases and complications of aging. Hopefully, by explaining this to preschoolers, they will consider expanding their food choices to better healthier options. Maybe after watching our video, the children will go home and try the vegetables their parents have placed on their plates. Most children do not have control over most of their food, but education is the first step in walking towards enjoying healthy foods daily.
