Nutrition Resources for Parents
Parents play a critical role in shaping lifestyles for learning and serve as role models to their children. A number of health, wellness, and nutrition resources are available to help parents adopt active lifestyles and model healthy behaviors themselves.
Resource Links
- The USDA My Plate ICON
- Let’s Move for Parents
- District of Columbia Healthy Schools Act Mandates among the schools
- WE CAN! from NIH
- American Dietetic Association Vegetarian Menu Planning
- American Dietetic Association Healthy Living Tips for Families
- DC Farm to School Network parent resources
- DC Community groups directory
- DC Foodshed Map (to help you find gardens and farmers markets near you)
The School Garden Program supports DC schools in developing and maintaining school gardens while providing many opportunities for parents to become involved in their child’s education. One thing parents can do is to form or join a school garden committee. By forming a committee parents, along with community members and other interested members can ensure that their school garden is maintained and fully utilized. If your school does not have a garden, speaking with your school’s administration is the first step towards implementing a school garden program. Get some ideas about what to say when approaching your school’s administration, or follow the links below to learn more about how you can become involved in school gardens:
- USDA garden curriculum resources
- Farm to School curriculum resources
- DDOE Riversmart Schools Program
Healthy School Fundraisers
Bake sales and pizza parties may have proven popular in the past, but selling junk food in schools sends the wrong message about health and nutrition. Healthier alternatives are practical and profitable. Examples of healthy fundraisers can include: car washes, photo calendar sales, and spirit days, to name a few!