This post provides Nurture materials (curricula) to support positive change for health in our world.
Although Nurture has curricula for various ages, this particular post is focused on content to support nutrition education for kids.
I’ll start with a question: How did we survive the plague of the food pyramids?
Answer: Not well.
Nutritionally related diseases skyrocketed in those decades when we built our meals on simple carbs like bread and crackers (the base of the pyramid).
Thank goodness for Michelle Obama and her efforts to create a healthy and easy-to-understand visual aid to illustrate nutritional guidelines.
I had the honor of meeting Michelle Obama with my daughter in 2012. It was a BEAUTIFUL celebration of food and lots of fun. Here is a fun picture:
MyPlate was a huge step in the right direction. MyPlate is a nutritional icon that I’m happy to see on the walls of school lunchrooms today. Keeping it simple, here are the key take-aways that Nurture teaches with MyPlate:
- Make half of your plate fruits and veggies, with an emphasis on the veggies!
- Eat lean protein. My dad (Dr. Bob)’s rule for breakfast applies to every snack and meal throughout the day.
- Make your grains whole grains. While MyPlate asks for only half your grains to be whole, I recommend avoiding processed grains whenever possible.
- Choose your beverage wisely. You know the saying “You are what you eat.” But our diabetes issues nationally are also very much related to what we drink. Cut out the soda and sugary drinks. Kids should not have more than one cup of fruit juice a day (or better yet, none). And no large sodas, please. Harvard’s Healthy Plate takes MyPlate’s positive momentum a step further. Its modifications of MyPlate highlights water, not dairy, as the beverage of choice. I also appreciate the addition of healthy oils on the side. There are a few other differences as well, but both are far better than the disastrous food pyramid.
DAILY DOSE OF FUN: Choose Harvard’s Healthy Plate or MyPlate for advice that makes you feel great.
MORE MAGIC: Unlike the pyramid, the plate model is actionable and applicable to meals and everyday life. Engage your creative side by downloading a color-in worksheet of a plate and draw your favorite meal.
