Healthy Eating
If students see educators eating healthy foods and beverages and enjoying them, they are more likely to eat healthy foods and beverages themselves. When children see educators eating or drinking nutritionally poor choices, or dieting to lose weight, they receive the wrong message from a person they look to for guidance.
The Ministry of Education's School Food and Beverage Policy (PPM 150) encourages schools to create positive social and healthy eating environments that teach and model healthy eating behaviours.
These principles are also addressed in the Limestone District School Board Administrative Procedures Manual and the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board Administrative Procedures Healthy School Nutrition (Policy Statement: Healthy School Nutrition).
Ways to model healthy eating:
- Choose water instead of sugary drinks.
- Eat breakfast and lunch.
What is the best way to teach students about healthy eating?
The best way to teach students about healthy eating (also known as balanced eating) is to focus on the importance of food to give us energy to learn, play, grow, and keep our bodies functioning. Balanced eating also means listening to your body and eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full. Eating regular meals and snacks throughout the day is normal and healthy for children, but it is important to trust children to eat according to their hunger and fullness cues. As an educator, you are responsible for when and where students eat. It is the student's responsibility to decide whether they eat, and how much.
How do I teach about calories and nutrients?
The curriculum expresses the importance of paying more attention to nutrients than to calories. When teaching, provide a basic description that calories are the energy that comes from food and avoid activities that involve counting calories. It is more beneficial to focus on the importance of different nutrients, how they can be obtained through a variety of foods, and the different ways these nutrients help to fuel our bodies. Contact your Public Health Dietitian for information about nutrients.
Should I be talking about "bad foods" or "wrong foods?"
It is important to use a flexible approach and avoid rigid food rules and guidelines (e.g., good food, bad food, junk food, etc.) which can contribute to body image and eating concerns. Labelling foods as "bad" or "wrong" may make children think they should never eat those foods, or may foster an unhealthy association between food and guilt which can lead to negative body image and unhealthy eating habits. To create a more positive message, foods are better classified as "everyday" and "sometimes" foods. Foods that are high in the nutrients that we want to consume more of, are considered "every day" foods. Foods that are low in the nutrients that we want to consume less of, are considered "sometimes foods". By teaching about balanced eating using Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide, you can show students which foods fit into the four food groups and teach them that other foods can be enjoyed in moderation as "sometimes" foods.
How can I support students to listen to their hunger and fullness cues?
People eat for many reasons other than hunger. Sometimes because it is our break time, for celebrations, or even for emotional reasons. Ignoring hunger and fullness cues can lead to under or over eating. Teach students the differences between the physical and emotional reasons for eating. Physical hunger is based on the biological need for food. Emotional hunger is when we eat in response to feelings of sadness, anxiety, happiness or anger. This can lead us to eat when we are not hungry, or continue eating when we are already full.
Positive eating habits include enjoying all foods without experiencing feelings of fear or guilt around eating particular foods.
Problem solving
What should I do if a student is always bringing in unhealthy lunches and snacks?
- It is important not to single out children for unhealthy lunches or snacks. You shouldn't make comments on what students are eating.
- According to the Ministry of Education, students "have variable amounts of control over the food they eat at home and the food they bring to school". Educators need to consider these realities and be aware of issues such as poverty, food allergies or sensitivities, and cultural practices.
- Consider the foods available at your school and suggest healthy options be made available. (e.g., classroom celebrations, tuck shops, hot lunches, fundraisers, etc.)
- Discuss the BrightBites resource with your Public Health Nurse. It promotes healthy food choices with activities, guidelines and resources to use at school, at home, and in the community.
Is it okay to reward students with food?
Rewards given in the classroom can be an effective way to encourage positive behaviour; however, it is important that educators do not reward students with food or withhold food as punishment. Using food to reward students has many negative consequences that go far beyond the short-term benefits of positive behaviour and can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food. It is best to reward students with non-food items such as pencils, erasers, or stickers. Rewarding students with things such as outdoor playtime offers the benefits of a healthier lifestyle by teaching students that physical activity is enjoyable and part of a healthy lifestyle.
The consequences of using food as a reward
Associates food with emotion or behaviour
Using food rewards during class teaches students to eat as a way to reward themselves, rather than in response to hunger. The association of food with emotion or behaviour may contribute to lifetime habits of rewarding or comforting themselves with food. Research has shown that foods used as rewards become more desirable to children.
Contradicts nutrition messages
Nutrition lessons taught in the classroom are contradicted when children are rewarded with unhealthy food choices. It is important that students receive the same messages in the curriculum and classroom environment.
Contributes to poor health
Foods commonly used as rewards (e.g., candy or cookies) may begin to replace more nutrient dense foods in the diet and can contribute to health problems in children including dental cavities.
Try no or low-cost alternatives to food as rewards
No cost alternatives
- Verbal praise
- First in line
- Walk break from class
- Extra reading time
- Going to the library to select a book
- Reading the school announcements
- Choosing the theme for a school bulletin board
- Writing on the chalk or white board
- Help educator (e.g., distribute handouts or errands to office)
Low cost alternatives
- Stickers
- Stamps on student's hand
- Pencils, pencil toppers
- Jump ropes
- Enter draw for paperback book
- Colourful erasers
- Shoe laces
- Key chain
- Book mark
- Crayons
- Water bottle
- Puzzle Trip to treasure box (non-food items)
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