This past Thursday at work, I had a girl scout troop come in to earn their snack badge. I am very grateful to my intern, who helped me coordinate activities for 16 second and third graders! For anyone looking for a fun activity with your kids or an event to run with a group of children, try making fruit and veggie faces!
Basically, I had bowls of different fruits (star fruit) and vegetables (broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, celery) cut up for them. I chose these veggies because they were the easiest for me to get together for the event. I also gave them plain hummus to use as glue (props to my intern for the suggestion). When I run something like this again, I am going to add 1-2 more fruit options. I was just going to do all veggies; however, I really wanted them to try a weird fruit (like star fruit). They all had a small empty plate and were instructed to make their own face out of the ingredients. I told everyone that we would eat the faces later and that if they put something on their plate that they didn't like, they didn't have to eat it. My main rule for them was that they couldn't say things like "eww" or "gross". All they had to say was "no thank you" or "I didn't like it". The girls were really great about this too.
I was pleasantly surprised at how creative they all were! I gave them about 15 minutes, since we had another activity to do; however, you can definitely expand the time frame. I also started the activity talking about vitamins and minerals and the benefits for our bodies. Here were some of the fun creations!
I will say I was shocked at how many girls inhaled the veggies on their plates. Some girls has also never tried raw broccoli before. A few liked it. It was nice to see some of the girls talking and munching on carrots. I was also surprised at how many girls had tried hummus at home and also how many tried it for the first time and liked it. I think this was a fun and non threatening way for getting kids to try new foods. It helped having their peers around while snacking and trying new things. At the end of the activity, I gave stickers to the "most creative face", "face that used the most ingredients", and "funniest face". The girls were all able to eat their faces after this; however, most of the kids were eating and snacking the whole time :)
Showing posts with label fruits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fruits. Show all posts
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Tips for Teaching High School Nutrition
This past week, I went back to my old high school to teach nutrition in the health classes. I had already been back here to teach in January for the first round of health; however, I came back to teach the 2nd semester students. This was all through my position as a ShopRite Dietitian. I do in-store counseling and demos; but also go out in the community for presentations and classroom teaching (whem i am invited). It is such a great experience for me since I love teaching nutrition. I also love working with kids! The little ones (kindergarten) are my favorite; however, I do like high school too.
This week, I mostly had freshman students with a few random juniors and seniors. I did 5 separate classes, covering about 130 students total. I choose to do just a basic MyPlate, food group, lesson. I wasn't really sure the knowledge of students and I wanted to just do something simple. I started off by introducing myself and my role as a dietitian. I was surprised that about 80% of the students didn't know what a dietitian was, let alone, what I did! After that, I did a short introduction of the MyPlate symbol. I gave a pre-assessment activity to see how well they knew the food groups. Most students didn't know avocado was a fruit or what tofu was (no big surprise there). I did have 1 student tell me that soda was a protein food and another tell me that candy bars should be considered a dairy product because it contains milk. Yup.
Then, I jumped into the bulk of the lesson. I went through the benefits of different foods (like citrus containing Vitamin C, which is good for immune health) (1 soft pretzel being equal to 4 slices bread) and the recommendations for things like protein and vegetables. I tried not to just lecture to the students. I remember what it was like to be in a classroom, so I didn't want to bore them, if possible. I did a lot of interactive questions. I would ask if they thought something was a myth or a fact. For instance, eating oranges to prevent a cold. MYTH. Vitamin C will shorten the duration of your cold but not prevent it. Asking a lot of questions helped to keep them more engaged.
After moving through different foods and food groups, I gave them a blank plate and had them fill in what they ate yesterday for dinner and what category the foods were in. A lot of the students did great with this, even though they were a little nervous about sharing. I also told counseling/food stories throughout the class to keep the conversation light. I always love telling students about how a fellow employee literally hid her fast food from me and became super awkward when I said hello to her. No, I am not the food police. Ha.
I left about 10 minutes for questions and open conversation. Last time I was at the school, the teacher asked a lot about school lunch and sugary beverages. I left time to incorporate that into my lesson for this round. I did a brief couple of minutes on sodas and juices (both of which are no match for water), protein drinks/supplements, nutrition for athletes, vegetarian diets, and dieting in general. All of these topics would be great for future lessons for high schoolers. I also left 2 nutrition handouts on the front desk in the classroom for students to take if they wanted. I found that just handing out materials will lead to most of them throwing it out or leaving it on the floor. About 50% of the kids took the handout and I figure majority of them were actually interested in the nutrition information.
One of the biggest things with teaching high schoolers is to be relatable. Don't go telling them to eat salads and broccoli if they probably won't. Get on their level and figure out what they do now and how they can improve. Relate healthy eating to performance and feeling good versus "getting fat." I had the students think of ways they could improve their lunch. Maybe, they would bring an apple or baby carrots. I also reminded them it is about balance and adding healthy items to their meals. It is not about restricting, limiting, or cutting foods out. The other major thing with teaching high schoolers is to really know your material. They will ask a lot of random nutrition questions, so don't go teaching something you don't really know much about.
Hopefully, this helps you teach nutrition to the youngsters :)
This week, I mostly had freshman students with a few random juniors and seniors. I did 5 separate classes, covering about 130 students total. I choose to do just a basic MyPlate, food group, lesson. I wasn't really sure the knowledge of students and I wanted to just do something simple. I started off by introducing myself and my role as a dietitian. I was surprised that about 80% of the students didn't know what a dietitian was, let alone, what I did! After that, I did a short introduction of the MyPlate symbol. I gave a pre-assessment activity to see how well they knew the food groups. Most students didn't know avocado was a fruit or what tofu was (no big surprise there). I did have 1 student tell me that soda was a protein food and another tell me that candy bars should be considered a dairy product because it contains milk. Yup.
Then, I jumped into the bulk of the lesson. I went through the benefits of different foods (like citrus containing Vitamin C, which is good for immune health) (1 soft pretzel being equal to 4 slices bread) and the recommendations for things like protein and vegetables. I tried not to just lecture to the students. I remember what it was like to be in a classroom, so I didn't want to bore them, if possible. I did a lot of interactive questions. I would ask if they thought something was a myth or a fact. For instance, eating oranges to prevent a cold. MYTH. Vitamin C will shorten the duration of your cold but not prevent it. Asking a lot of questions helped to keep them more engaged.
After moving through different foods and food groups, I gave them a blank plate and had them fill in what they ate yesterday for dinner and what category the foods were in. A lot of the students did great with this, even though they were a little nervous about sharing. I also told counseling/food stories throughout the class to keep the conversation light. I always love telling students about how a fellow employee literally hid her fast food from me and became super awkward when I said hello to her. No, I am not the food police. Ha.
I left about 10 minutes for questions and open conversation. Last time I was at the school, the teacher asked a lot about school lunch and sugary beverages. I left time to incorporate that into my lesson for this round. I did a brief couple of minutes on sodas and juices (both of which are no match for water), protein drinks/supplements, nutrition for athletes, vegetarian diets, and dieting in general. All of these topics would be great for future lessons for high schoolers. I also left 2 nutrition handouts on the front desk in the classroom for students to take if they wanted. I found that just handing out materials will lead to most of them throwing it out or leaving it on the floor. About 50% of the kids took the handout and I figure majority of them were actually interested in the nutrition information.
One of the biggest things with teaching high schoolers is to be relatable. Don't go telling them to eat salads and broccoli if they probably won't. Get on their level and figure out what they do now and how they can improve. Relate healthy eating to performance and feeling good versus "getting fat." I had the students think of ways they could improve their lunch. Maybe, they would bring an apple or baby carrots. I also reminded them it is about balance and adding healthy items to their meals. It is not about restricting, limiting, or cutting foods out. The other major thing with teaching high schoolers is to really know your material. They will ask a lot of random nutrition questions, so don't go teaching something you don't really know much about.
Hopefully, this helps you teach nutrition to the youngsters :)
Friday, September 19, 2014
Top 10 Dietitian Misconceptions
"Dietitian...that means you make meal plans, right?" (Said by someone I encountered at my one job). If you are a fellow Dietitian (or Nutrition major), you have probably heard that phrase, or something like it, before. If you haven't, just wait and see :)
Here are my top 10 things I hear and chuckle at (I've gotten over being annoyed) that are complete misconceptions (at least for me)!
#1 Do you only eat salad?
Nope. I eat meat, veggies, fruit, etc. I do enjoy a salad and I will often eat from the salad bar at work. And by salad I mean a small amount of lettuce with a crazy amount of toppings (mushrooms, broccoli, croutons, chicken, chickpeas, etc). But again, I don't just eat it because I am a RD, I actually like it.
#2 I am not judging what you eat.
People will literally say to me, "Oh, I know what I am eating is bad for me, I was just really hungry." I could care less what you eat! I just came into the room to make phone calls for work. Along with me not judging what you eat, you can refrain from hiding your food from me. One day at work, I was walking down the hall and a lady with a bag of fast food literally put it behind her back when I walked by. After I said hello, she looked genuinely embarrassed and hurried off. TRUE STORY.
#3 Please stop judging what I eat.
I love the occasional ice cream (with my Lactase pills of course) or chips. Who doesn't?! I really don't like when people see me eating something "unhealthy" and say, "Wow, you're eating chips?" Yes, I am human and do enjoy these pleasures once in a while.
#4 Now that you are a RD, can you write me a meal plan?
Much to what people think, I don't just write meal plans. Actually, I rarely write out a meal plan for someone. I generally like to give people the tools to be able to choose foods that fit their dietary needs. Plus, if I told you what to eat for each meal, chances are that would become very boring. I also don't like putting people on "diets" or talking about them for that matter. I am all about healthy lifestyle changes, which do not fall in line with a meal plan.
#5 So, you are not going to tell me to cut out my favorite foods?
This goes along with my whole no-diet-thing. Generally, when you cut foods out, you tend to miss them. This can lead to binge-eating and "going off the diet" wagon. In my experience, with both counseling and my own life, it is better to keep in your favorite foods and just eat them in small portions.
#6 Yes, I did go through 4 years of school, an unpaid internship, and a final exam.
A lot of people I talk to think that I became a RD once I graduated. I wish! After getting my bachelors, I had to apply to internships, get accepted, pay large amounts of money, and then sell my soul for 9 months (not counting the lack of life for the 2 months I spent studying to take my exam). Dramatic enough for you? But seriously, becoming an RD is not easy and props to anyone who is embarking on the journey.
#7 Dietitian and Nutritionist are not the same.
Nutritionist is not a licensed term, at least in PA. Basically, anyone could call themselves a Nutritionist. A Certified Nutritionist has more credentials than a regular Nutritionist; however, Registered Dietitian trumps all :)
#8 I don't know everything and I am not afraid to say it.
It surprised me how people are shocked that I don't know something specific about a food. Example: "What are baby romanesco good for?" First of all, I have never even seen one until now. Second, I don't know all the nutrients in every fruit and vegetable. Yes, green leafy veggies have Vitamin K and red/orange veggies have Vitamin A; however, I mainly just tell people to eat fruits and vegetables. You don't really need to focus on eating specific ones for specific nutrients. That is so complicated! Make it simple and just choose a variety. In the words of many RDs, "Color your plate."
#9 Every counseling session should be standardized to cover the same thing.
I don't know where people got that idea from; however, none of my counseling sessions are ever the same. You don't talk to a 60-year-old the same way you talk to a 12-year-old. You can standardize the process (aka you have the same introduction of yourself, similar forms, same waiver, etc); however, what is covered in a session is completely client-centered. I not only learned that in school; however, leading counseling sessions has taught me to be super flexible. I might want to cover protein with someone (seeing as they don't eat enough), but they get into their binge eating habits. That last bit of information is more important to cover first. Counseling is all about getting to know your client and helping them to reach the goals they want to set.
#10 "You don't need to see a Dietitian because you are not fat."
Just because you are thin does not mean you are healthy. As a Dietitian, I help people gain weight (if they are underweight or looking to gain muscle), lose weight, and maintain their weight. People come see me for all different reasons. Plus, a skinny person might have horrible eating habits that lead them to become Diabetic or deficient in certain nutrients. Again, I am here to help the client reach their goals. I never judge by body size because it is such a horrible indicator of actual health.
These 10 items are all things I have encountered between my jobs, friends, family, community, etc. You may have more to add to this list or things to change (depending on your situation).
Hope you enjoyed the read. Stay tuned for my next blog "10 Tips for Conducting a Recipe Demo."
PS: This is a Baby Romanesco. Tastes and looks like a cross between broccoli and cauliflower!
Here are my top 10 things I hear and chuckle at (I've gotten over being annoyed) that are complete misconceptions (at least for me)!
#1 Do you only eat salad?
Nope. I eat meat, veggies, fruit, etc. I do enjoy a salad and I will often eat from the salad bar at work. And by salad I mean a small amount of lettuce with a crazy amount of toppings (mushrooms, broccoli, croutons, chicken, chickpeas, etc). But again, I don't just eat it because I am a RD, I actually like it.
#2 I am not judging what you eat.
People will literally say to me, "Oh, I know what I am eating is bad for me, I was just really hungry." I could care less what you eat! I just came into the room to make phone calls for work. Along with me not judging what you eat, you can refrain from hiding your food from me. One day at work, I was walking down the hall and a lady with a bag of fast food literally put it behind her back when I walked by. After I said hello, she looked genuinely embarrassed and hurried off. TRUE STORY.
#3 Please stop judging what I eat.
I love the occasional ice cream (with my Lactase pills of course) or chips. Who doesn't?! I really don't like when people see me eating something "unhealthy" and say, "Wow, you're eating chips?" Yes, I am human and do enjoy these pleasures once in a while.
#4 Now that you are a RD, can you write me a meal plan?
Much to what people think, I don't just write meal plans. Actually, I rarely write out a meal plan for someone. I generally like to give people the tools to be able to choose foods that fit their dietary needs. Plus, if I told you what to eat for each meal, chances are that would become very boring. I also don't like putting people on "diets" or talking about them for that matter. I am all about healthy lifestyle changes, which do not fall in line with a meal plan.
#5 So, you are not going to tell me to cut out my favorite foods?
This goes along with my whole no-diet-thing. Generally, when you cut foods out, you tend to miss them. This can lead to binge-eating and "going off the diet" wagon. In my experience, with both counseling and my own life, it is better to keep in your favorite foods and just eat them in small portions.
#6 Yes, I did go through 4 years of school, an unpaid internship, and a final exam.
A lot of people I talk to think that I became a RD once I graduated. I wish! After getting my bachelors, I had to apply to internships, get accepted, pay large amounts of money, and then sell my soul for 9 months (not counting the lack of life for the 2 months I spent studying to take my exam). Dramatic enough for you? But seriously, becoming an RD is not easy and props to anyone who is embarking on the journey.
#7 Dietitian and Nutritionist are not the same.
Nutritionist is not a licensed term, at least in PA. Basically, anyone could call themselves a Nutritionist. A Certified Nutritionist has more credentials than a regular Nutritionist; however, Registered Dietitian trumps all :)
#8 I don't know everything and I am not afraid to say it.
It surprised me how people are shocked that I don't know something specific about a food. Example: "What are baby romanesco good for?" First of all, I have never even seen one until now. Second, I don't know all the nutrients in every fruit and vegetable. Yes, green leafy veggies have Vitamin K and red/orange veggies have Vitamin A; however, I mainly just tell people to eat fruits and vegetables. You don't really need to focus on eating specific ones for specific nutrients. That is so complicated! Make it simple and just choose a variety. In the words of many RDs, "Color your plate."
#9 Every counseling session should be standardized to cover the same thing.
I don't know where people got that idea from; however, none of my counseling sessions are ever the same. You don't talk to a 60-year-old the same way you talk to a 12-year-old. You can standardize the process (aka you have the same introduction of yourself, similar forms, same waiver, etc); however, what is covered in a session is completely client-centered. I not only learned that in school; however, leading counseling sessions has taught me to be super flexible. I might want to cover protein with someone (seeing as they don't eat enough), but they get into their binge eating habits. That last bit of information is more important to cover first. Counseling is all about getting to know your client and helping them to reach the goals they want to set.
#10 "You don't need to see a Dietitian because you are not fat."
Just because you are thin does not mean you are healthy. As a Dietitian, I help people gain weight (if they are underweight or looking to gain muscle), lose weight, and maintain their weight. People come see me for all different reasons. Plus, a skinny person might have horrible eating habits that lead them to become Diabetic or deficient in certain nutrients. Again, I am here to help the client reach their goals. I never judge by body size because it is such a horrible indicator of actual health.
These 10 items are all things I have encountered between my jobs, friends, family, community, etc. You may have more to add to this list or things to change (depending on your situation).
Hope you enjoyed the read. Stay tuned for my next blog "10 Tips for Conducting a Recipe Demo."
PS: This is a Baby Romanesco. Tastes and looks like a cross between broccoli and cauliflower!
Sunday, October 20, 2013
FSM Week 9: My Nutrition Promotional Event
Starting on Monday, I will be in my 10th week of my FSM rotation of my dietetic internship. This past week has been so fun and exciting; definitely one of my favorite parts of the internship (besides teaching).
October 14-18th was National School Lunch Week. I decided to run my nutrition promotion event (part of one of my rotation assignments) during that week. My event theme was NSLW: Fun with Fruits and Vegetables! I highlighted the featured vegetables and fruits on the menu. Since my facility was in between RDs and my new preceptor was super busy, I planned most of the event on my own. I spent a lot of time coordinating with the elementary school I would running my event in, talking to staff members, getting the PR coordinator involved, holding meetings, and creating materials/prizes for the kids. I started planning my event about 1 month in advance. I created bookmarks for the students (laminated them as well), brochures to send home to the parents, flyers for my table, and recipe cards for teachers and support staff. I also made posters highlighting the different fruits and vegetables with fun facts and nutrition information. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I just hung posters at the elementary school. Tuesday and Thursday I was at the school running different contests (guess the bean content of the jar and trivia questions) and giving out stickers/bookmarks for students who had a fruit or a vegetable on their tray.
About a week prior to the event, I discovered that the office I was working in had costumes in their closet; a pea pod and a banana. I was way too excited about wearing them! I also found out that the press would be coming on Thursday to interview me and take pictures!
My first day, Tuesday, of my event went so well! It was a bit crazy because the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade lunches overlapped. I felt like I was running around crazy (in a pea pod costume) trying to get student guesses for my bean costume. I also ran a lucky tray, in which 1-2 students from each lunch had a sticker on the bottom of their trays indicating they won a prize. Even with all of the craziness, the event went better than I could have hoped. The kids got so involved! One of my favorite parts was reading what the kids wrote on their guessing slips for the bean jar. One first grader wrote for a guess, "200, or 198." Other students wrote the #1 followed by as many zeros as would fill the line. (Total bean count for the jar was 16,438).
Thursday ran a lot smoother than Tuesday did. Since all of the kids had guessed the beans on Tuesday, I spent time taking pictures, handing out prizes, and asking trivia questions. The kids were so excited about the costumes, contests, and prizes. One student said, "You should wear that banana costume all the time, so I always know where you are." Another student said, "We should do stuff like this each week. Put it on the agenda." A lot of the students asked when I was coming back and what costume I would be wearing. It was so exciting to see the kids smiling and having a good time, all in the name of healthy eating!
While I was running around the cafeteria in my various costumes, teachers were saying things like, "Wow you must have drawn the short end of the stick," "Oh, the joys of being an intern." That was exactly the opposite of what I was thinking! I was more than excited to be prancing around in different costumes. I chose to wear the costumes (in place of a colored shirt). Seeing the kids' faces get excited was priceless to me. I wished they had more costumes for me to wear :)
October 14-18th was National School Lunch Week. I decided to run my nutrition promotion event (part of one of my rotation assignments) during that week. My event theme was NSLW: Fun with Fruits and Vegetables! I highlighted the featured vegetables and fruits on the menu. Since my facility was in between RDs and my new preceptor was super busy, I planned most of the event on my own. I spent a lot of time coordinating with the elementary school I would running my event in, talking to staff members, getting the PR coordinator involved, holding meetings, and creating materials/prizes for the kids. I started planning my event about 1 month in advance. I created bookmarks for the students (laminated them as well), brochures to send home to the parents, flyers for my table, and recipe cards for teachers and support staff. I also made posters highlighting the different fruits and vegetables with fun facts and nutrition information. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I just hung posters at the elementary school. Tuesday and Thursday I was at the school running different contests (guess the bean content of the jar and trivia questions) and giving out stickers/bookmarks for students who had a fruit or a vegetable on their tray.
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| One of the posters I created for the lunchroom. One student told me that I should be an artist :) |
My first day, Tuesday, of my event went so well! It was a bit crazy because the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade lunches overlapped. I felt like I was running around crazy (in a pea pod costume) trying to get student guesses for my bean costume. I also ran a lucky tray, in which 1-2 students from each lunch had a sticker on the bottom of their trays indicating they won a prize. Even with all of the craziness, the event went better than I could have hoped. The kids got so involved! One of my favorite parts was reading what the kids wrote on their guessing slips for the bean jar. One first grader wrote for a guess, "200, or 198." Other students wrote the #1 followed by as many zeros as would fill the line. (Total bean count for the jar was 16,438).
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| Day 1 Table Set-Up |
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| Pea Pod Costume! |
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| Day 2 Table Set-Up |
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| Picture Time! |
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| Banana Costume! |
After all my hard work, the story was put into 2 different newspapers! It was really exciting to have such good publicity for not only the school district, but also my internship program!
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