written by Andrew Olsen, Preschool 3s teacher
“I have strawberries! They have seeds; they are fruits.” All week, these are the statements heard during lunch in the Preschool 3s. Seeing the students faces light up when they identify the foods in their lunches shows their deep interest in nutrition. Our study has introduced the students to the food groups and how it is important to eat several from each group every day. As we learn about how the body grows big and strong, we learn healthy choices make the biggest impact. Taking care of your body is key to a long and happy life, so it is up to adults to model these behaviors and practices to the children around them.
“You are what you eat.” How many times have you heard that throughout your life, and how true is it? As a kid, when I heard that saying, I always envisioned sandwiches in my bones and bowls of oatmeal in my gut. Although as I grew older, a truth within the saying has always stuck with me; a healthy person eats healthy. I didn’t always eat healthy. The younger me thought french fries and ketchup were just as good as vegetables. Well, you don’t know what you don’t know. As I grew older, I started “listening” to my body. I would notice when I didn’t feel my best, and how the foods I recently consumed may have affected me.
Children do not shop at the grocery store, and they do not cook dinners. While some moms and dads encourage their kids to be part of these activities, it is ultimately the parents’ choices that determine how healthy their children are. In times like these, with all the “fast meals,” it is not always quick and easy to eat healthy. But that doesn’t mean eating healthy cannot be fun! Fresh foods are available all over the Valley, and the Seed has excellent resources as well. Take some time to browse the school website and all of the healthy food resources available to you.