Nutrition Explorations: Cafeteria Marketing & Education: Ways to Connect

Here are lessons, activities and ideas to help you make that cafeteria/classroom connection a reality!

NDC's Nutrition Education Programs Link Classroom and Cafeteria

Little D's Nutrition Expedition™ for 2nd grade and Arianna's Nutrition Expedition™ for 4th grade are new, teacher-tested nutrition education classroom programs. Starring delightful characters and captivating story lines, these Five-Food-Group-based programs support wellness goals and easily extend to the cafeteria, bringing nutrition learning to life.

Enroll Today in these programs which are free of charge to teachers and school nutrition professionals. Acquaint yourself with the programs and encourage 2nd and 4th grade teachers in your school to enroll.

Bridges to Wellness™ Connecting School Meals and Classroom Learning

Developed by National Dairy Council and the School Nutrition Foundation, Bridges to Wellness lessons help school nutrition professionals and teachers develop effective partnerships to educate children about nutrition and help develop healthy lifestyles. Find out about the lessons, designed for grades 5 through 10.

Cafeteria and Classroom: Partners in Student Wellness

— Download this handout which is packed with Nutrition Expedition program cafeteria/classroom connection activities that will help students put nutrition learning into practice.

Help Students Put Classroom Nutrition Learning Into Practice

— Check out this easy-to-read flyer that offers additional classroom/cafeteria ideas.

Take Milk Outside the Cafeteria

Promote milk as a healthy beverage for class events. Teachers and room moms are always looking for help with parties, and such. Ice-cold, flavored milk in plastic single-serves is an appealing vehicle to bring healthy choices into the classroom and an excellent way to "test" out the popularity of the New Look of School Milk and find out what it's all about!

Milk Around the World Day

Collaborate with teachers and sponsor a Milk Around the World Day. Ask art students or your Nutrition Advisory Council to decorate the cafeteria with travel posters, beach ball globes, maps, etc. Feature a special "international" menu using popular favorites (Italian, Mexican, etc.) Show children how many favorite cultural foods are made with dairy products — pizza, tacos, lasagna, etc.

Host a Field Trip — To The Cafeteria!

Teachers may have never thought of the cafeteria as an educational opportunity. Give teachers The Cafeteria Field Trip to let them know you are interested in helping them provide nutritional learning to students. Cross-curricular ideas are provided.

Activities for Students

Educate students about a healthy school environment with The Write Stuff , a Healthy School Environment Classroom-Cafeteria Connection activity.

Cook Up a Student's Menu!

Initiate a project with teachers in which students develop lunch menus using MyPyramid Food Groups. Then, pick a winning menu and feature it on the lunch line! See an example of how well it worked when the activity was initiated by a teacher. Just click on Classroom Menus for the Cafeteria.

Connections in Action

Find out how school nutrition professionals are venturing out of the cafeteria, working with teachers, and taking nutrition messages into the classroom.