Schools

Nutrition Lessons Enhance LBUSD Students' Nutrition Education at Home and School

Submitted by the Laguna Beach Unified School District: 

The Laguna Beach Unified School District Nutrition Services Department has implemented a new nutrition education program to help encourage healthy lifestyle choices for students in and outside of the school day environment.

Along with the school’s lunch menu, both LBUSD elementary schools’ teachers and parents receive a monthly nutrition newsletter from Build Healthy Kids that shares opportunities to incorporate healthy nutrition lessons in fun, interactive activities.  Innovative classroom lessons with LBUSD Child Nutrition Consultant and Registered Dietitian, Megan Hartshorne, are available for teachers and the after school garden coordinators.

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Ms. Hartshorne shares her educational goals for the program, “Through nutrition education in the classroom, LBUSD teachers allow me to link classroom learning standards with healthy lessons about food, nutrition, and wellness. There is growing concern for the physical and social issues that children face when it comes to their health and their relationship with food. However, several studies show that nutrition education intervention at a young age positively affects children’s nutrition knowledge and consumption behaviors. Classroom nutrition education provides just such an avenue for me to write nutrition lesson plans that link to topics and concepts that are already being studied in the classroom. It is an efficient way for me to reach a great number of children and give them the knowledge and tools that they need to make healthier lifestyle choices.”

Director of Nutrition Services Debra Appel remarks, “I think it’s wonderful we have the opportunity to offer District students a fun way to learn about nutrition through classroom lessons with positive messages that help promote healthy choices, healthy habits, and healthy living for a lifetime.”

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Whole Foods Market Laguna Beach donates the fresh produce for the elementary classroom lessons with Ms. Hartshorne. LBUSD is able to retain a part time registered dietitian to assist with planning, organizing, coordinating and participating in Nutrition Services operations and activities at assigned school sites and for the Department thanks to a donation from SchoolPower.

During one meeting with Ms. Hartshorne, Thurston Middle School Leadership students discussed new menu items and requested more hot pasta entrées on the school’s lunch menu. For the next meeting, Ms. Appel prepared two dishes: baked rotini with meat sauce and mozzarella cheese and a rotini with chicken and fresh spinach in Alfredo sauce. Students conducted a taste test on the two pasta dishes and voted to add both to the school lunch menu.

Ms. Hartshorne met with the Laguna Beach High School Club Student Nutrition Advisory Committee (SNAC) who conducted student menu surveys. These peer-led nutrition advisory meetings with Ms. Hartshorne and SNAC faculty advisor, Cassandra Brooker, will assist with school menu offerings. SNAC will also be involved in upcoming nutritional education promotional activities.


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