A LUNCH BAG GUIDE TO

NUTRITION EDUCATION
1) Start with the Basics
Kids eat less than the
50% of kids don’t eat a recommended 15 g of
vegetable every day. fiber per day.
Encourage students to try a diverse
selection of fruits and vegetables, and
educate on protein and fiber sources.

2) Watch your Language

33% of kids skip out Kids need 0.45 g of
on a fruit every day. protein/lb every Swap moral judgments for
day. descriptive language.

3) Get Hands On crunchy, salty

nutritious
1. Flashcards
unhealthy/healthy
2. Cooking Demos
bad/good
3. Song and Dance
4. Board Games
5. Taste Tests
4) Diversify the Plate
3.5% <1% American
The most effective way to
Multiracial Indian or
teach nutrition is through
Native
play-based methods. 7.4% Hawaiian
Black
n
% Asia
20.2% Whit
e 10.7
5) Explore the Lunch Bag
57.9% Hispanic
Encourage students to
present their favorite
cultural dish during a Ethnicity breakdown of
"show and tell" activity.
elementary school children in
LA County

9% of the
6) Stay Body Neutral population will have
When discussing food, it's best By 14, 60-70% an eating disorder in
are trying to lose their lifetime
to steer clear of references
weight
to weight and body size.

At ages 6-10, kids

start to worry
about their weight

All graphics are free for commercial and non-commercial use from Canva
Brecic, R., Gorton, M., & Cvencek, D. (2022). Development of children’s implicit and explicit
attitudes toward healthy food: Personal and environmental factors. Appetite, 176,
106094. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2022.106094
Eating Disorder Statistics | ANAD - National Association of Anorexia Nervosa
and Associated Disorders. (2023, November 29). https://anad.org/eating-
disorder-statistic/
Hamner, H. C. (2023). Fruit, Vegetable, and Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake Among Young
Children, by State—United States, 2021. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 72.
https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7207a1
Hudson, J. L., Baum, J. I., Diaz, E. C., & Børsheim, E. (2021). Dietary Protein Requirements in Children: Methods
for Consideration. Nutrients, 13(5), 1554. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13051554
Nand, K., Baghaei, N., Casey, J., Barmada, B., Mehdipour, F., & Liang, H.-N. (2019). Engaging children with
educational content via Gamification. Smart Learning Environments, 6(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-
019-0085-2
PRB. (2021). Los Angeles County Summary. Kidsdata.Org.
https://www.kidsdata.org/region/364/los-angeles-county/summary#6/demographics
WWEIA Data Tables: USDA ARS. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2024, from https://www.ars.usda.gov/northeast-are
center/food-surveys-research-group/docs/wweia-data-tables/