Overview

Is your school looking for ways to enhance your nutrition education efforts? Consider celebrating National Nutrition Month during March! This annual observance is a campaign led by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to help people develop healthy eating and physical activity habits.

Take Action

While schools should teach nutrition education throughout the year, use March to dedicate extra time and attention to nutrition. It’s a great time to extend nutrition beyond the classroom and cafeteria into the garden, hallways and at home. Check out our favorite ways to celebrate National Nutrition Month:

• Teach nutrition education. MyPlate offers a free, sequential curriculum for Grades 1-6, as well as supplemental resources to complement your school’s existing health education curriculum.
• Meet with your school nutrition staff to determine how the month can be celebrated in and out of the school cafeteria.
• Choose one healthy eating or physical activity concept to promote each week during March. Display signage throughout your school, teach nutrition education lessons in the classroom and include messages during morning announcements. For example:
  • Week 1 – What is MyPlate?
  • Week 2 – Eat more fruits and veggies.
  • Week 3 – Make half your grains whole grain.
  • Week 4 – Be physically active for 60 minutes a day.
• In the cafeteria, highlight a healthy item every day during the month. Share facts, nutrition benefits and healthy dishes that include this food through flyers, posters, table tents and in other communications.
• Host a taste test. A taste test is a great way to garner enthusiasm around trying new foods together.
• Hold a school-wide campaign to encourage students to eat breakfast. It activates our brains, gives us energy and makes us alert. Eating a healthy, well- balanced breakfast also helps us continue making good choices throughout the day.
• Help students become aware of their behaviors to nudge them toward more consistent healthy ones. Download and send home a fruit and vegetable or physical activity tracker.
• Host a Rethink Your Drink demonstration to teach students about healthy beverage choices.
• Teach students how to read a nutrition facts label. As part of the lesson, ask students to bring in nutrition labels from home. Spend some time during class reading labels and comparing information.
• Host a health and wellness fair.
• Share healthy messages with parents to promote good nutrition at home.