Brain Food

Health promotion is an important part of any nutrition program. Parents, teachers, volunteers and all those in education know how crucial it it to not only offer nutritious choices but to educate young minds about a healthy lifestyle.

The most recent issue of Professionally Speaking, the magazine of the Ontario College of Teachers featured 6 great resources called Appetite for Learning you can use in your school. These resources are highlighted below, along with some local suggestions you can use in your classrooms or schools.

1. http://ontario.teachnutrition.org/home.aspx
This website features many tips and tools for teachers with K to 8 students. Sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Canada, you can book free workshops, download resources for your classroom or find online games for students.

2. http://hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/educ-comm/index-eng.php
Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada offer free and ready to use presentations and resources for teachers you can download or order. Who doesn't love free stuff?

3. www.activechefs.ca
    http://growingchefsontario.ca/
Teaching kids how to grow and prepare food for themselves is an important part of healthy eating. There are organizations that will come into your classroom free of charge to get kids excited about cooking and eating healthy foods. 
Active Chefs - this program is for students in Hamilton, Peel and Halton.
Growing Chefs - this program is based in London and offers a variety of programs for different grades.

4. http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/healthyschools/infoTPA.html
The Ministry of Education offers tips and tools to help make your school healthier. There is also information on a pilot project called Eating Well Looks Good on You. In partnership with the Food Network's David Rocco, Real Food for Real Kids and Foodland Ontario, this program delivers nutritional recipes using fresh locally grown food. Check out some of the recipes here.

5. http://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/School-Health/Ontario%E2%80%99s-School-Food-and-Beverage-Policy/Bake-It-Up!
Eat Right Ontario has developed Bake it Up - a collection of healthier recipes for bake sales. Use these recipes for fundraisers or try them at home.

6. http://unpackingschoollunch.wordpress.com/
Andrea Curtis, a Toronto based writer has written a book titled What's for Lunch? How Schoolchildren Eat Around the World. Her website also features teaching tools within the Ontario curriculum.