Challenge: Healthy & Active Non-Food Rewards

At school, home, and throughout the community, kids are offered food, beverages, and candy as rewards for “good” behavior.  Often these foods have little or no nutritional value, but are easy, inexpensive, and can bring about short-term behavior change. 

There are many disadvantages to using food as a reward:

• It teaches kids to eat as a reward, even when they are not hungry.
• It sends the message that achievements should be marked by eating.
• It may add unnecessary calories, sugar, and fat to the child’s diet, which can cause weight gain or an unhealthy weight.
• It can undermine healthy nutrition practices being taught at home or at school.
• It can establish poor dietary habits that may last a lifetime. 

Kids learn preferences for food made available to them, including those that aren’t so healthy.  Kids naturally enjoy eating healthy and being physically active.  It is important for families, schools, and communities to provide kids ample opportunities to develop lifelong habits for better health.  If you choose to reward children with foods, consider healthy options like an apple, banana, carrot sticks, string cheese, or even low-fat milk. 

Together, teachers, parents and community members have an incredible opportunity to work together to improve the physical and emotional health of children by consistently offering healthy rewards, plentiful opportunities for physical activity, and quality time together.