APRIL / MAY

SPRING PARTY

• Plan a nature walk to see plants
  re-awakening in the spring weather.

• Decorate plastic eggs and put a physical activity messages on the inside (e.g. hop on one leg 5 times or do 6 jumping jacks). Have an egg hunt and kids can act on the messages.

• Decorate flower pots for parents and plant a flower or seed.

• Have parents donate plants that children can plant in the school yard or other community site.

Healthier Party Snacks:

• Low-fat carrot muffins

• Carrots with hummus

• Berries with Cool Whip

• Fruit smoothies

JUNE

With the end of school comes
numerous celebrations. Keep
focus away from food and plan
activities to highlight the end of the
school year and the coming summer.

• Have a tasting party with star fruit, papaya, mango, kiwi, guava, and/or pineapple.

• Visit a local farm, garden or orchard to learn about fruits and vegetables that grow in our area.

• Have students make a collage or write a story about what they plan to do over the summer.

• Have students write stories or put together items that remind them of the past school year and take them home.

• Plan an outdoor game/activity to enjoy the warmer weather.

FEBRUARY

VALENTINE’S DAY

• Have students write down one positive comment about each classmate (e.g. you are a good friend, you have a nice smile, and pass them out).

• Create a Valentine’s Day card holder.

Healthier Party Snacks:

• Have cherry tomatoes and
  red peppers served
  with hummus

• Serve strawberries,
  raspberries, diced cranberries,
  red grapes, pomegranate or apple slices

MARCH

ST. PATRICK’S DAY

• Teach an Irish step dance.

• Decorate the room with
  shamrocks made from construction paper.

• Plan a St. Paddy’s day scavenger hunt that leads to a pot of gold filled with treasures such as markers, pens, pencils, erasers, etc.

• Read about Irish history or a story about St. Patrick.

Healthier Party Snacks:

• Serve kiwi (cut in half and serve with a spoon)

• Have cucumbers, celery sticks, broccoli, sugar snap peas, green beans, or green peppers with hummus

• Serve whole grain tortilla chips with guacamole

• Try edamame. It is fun to eat and easy to serve.

FRUITS, VEGETABLES, PROTEINS & GRAINS

The Building Blocks of Healthy Bodies

Offer a Fruit or Vegetable Option Every Day

FRUITS

• Apples / Bananas

• Berries / Grapes

• Oranges / Clementines

• Peaches / Apricots / Plums

• Melon Chunks (all kinds)

• Dried Apple Rings, Banana Chips, Berries, Raisins, etc.

Fruit can be combined in a bowl for fruit salad or speared onto a stick for kabobs. If a blender is available, consider smoothies!

Avoid:Fruit snacks, fruit leather, roll-ups, fruit chews or other synthetic “fruit”

VEGETABLES

• Cucumber Slices

• Carrot Sticks

• Colored Pepper Slices

• Sugar Snap Peas

• Raw Broccoli & Cauliflower

• Zucchini & Yellow
  Squash Spears

• Pre-Packed Salad

Vegetables are fun with a dipping sauce. A light ranch dressing, hummus or plain Greek yogurt can be a tasty addition.

Avoid:French fries, fried vegetables

Offer a Protein or Grain Option Every Day

PROTEIN

• Cheese

• Hard Boiled Eggs

• Yogurt

• Hummus

• Canned Tuna or Chicken

• Beans

• Nuts: Almonds, Walnuts, Cashews, Peanuts, etc. **

Avoid:Nut butter with “partially hydrogenated” on the nutrient label.

** Nut allergies are a serious thing! Make sure no one is allergic before serving ANY product with nuts. Someone’s life may depend on it.

GRAINS

• Pretzels / Low-Fat Popcorn

• Whole Grain Crackers

• Graham or Animal Crackers

• Some Dry Cereal / Cereal Bars

• 100% Whole Wheat
  English Muffins

• Rice Cakes

• Granola

Avoid:Products that list “hydrogenated” oils or “trans” fats on the nutrient label.

Note:Label reading is important because grains can be a source for unhealthy fats.

Resources: www.MyPyramid.gov &

Harvard School of Public Health, Prevention Research Center

SEASONAL ACTIVITIES &
HEALTHY PARTY SNACKS

SEPTEMBER

Set the right tone for this year’s parties.

Keep in mind these healthy party tips:

(1) Celebrate without food, shift the focus from food to fun

(2) Limit a party to have no more than one junk-food item.

(3) Create a healthy snack list and have parents sign-up to bring in an item from the list.

• See http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/school_snacks.pdfor use our ‘Snack Evaluation’ tool located at http://www.scituate.k12.ma.us/=> Link to Lunch Menu=> Launch Snacks: Nutritional Standards

(4) Communicate the date of any food related celebration to families and staff in advance allowing for all stakeholders in our children’s wellbeing to plan accordingly if individual accommodations are needed for certain students.

OCTOBER

HALLOWEEN

Kids will get plenty of candy trick-or-treating.
Try to keep the focus on fun at school.

• Have a parade or costume contest.

• Instead of candy, try small toys like temporary tattoos, stickers, spooky plastic rings or false teeth.

• Decorate a pillowcase/bag for trick-or-treating at home.

Healthier Party Snacks:

• Apples with caramel/yogurt dip

• Roasted pumpkin seeds

• Carrots with low-fat ranch dressing

• Oranges, cantaloupe, mangos, or dried peaches

• Use Halloween cookie cutter to make sandwiches or fruit look frightfully delicious!

NOVEMBER

THANKSGIVING

• Have students write or draw a picture about what they are thankful for and share it with the class.

• Create a garland of gratitude. Cut leaf shapes out of construction paper then crinkle them up to create the lines if a leaf.

• Do a service project as a class field trip.

Healthier Party Snacks:

• Turkey roll ups

• Spread apple butter on whole grain
  English muffins or graham crackers

• Serve warm apple cider

• Organic blue corn
  chips and salsa

DECEMBER / JANUARY

WINTER HOLIDAYS

• Have students make holiday
  cards for nursing home residents.

• Go caroling and sing for other
  classes or at a senior center.

• Decorate the classroom with a winter theme.

• Collect personal care products and prepare kits for a homeless shelter.

• Make snow globes out of glass jars and white glitter. Seal lid with super glue.

Healthier Party Snacks:

• Hallow out red and green peppers and fill them with hummus or guacamole and serve with vegetables

• Make fruit kabobs and alternate red & green grapes and/or red & green apples

• Green beans, broccoli and tomatoes with a low fat dip