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The "Donuts with Dad" breakfast was a grant funded event held on
Tuesday, October 24th from 7:45 - 8:00 a.m.
Food Service Director for District 27 Schools, Connie Crawley,
cheerfully greeted students and instructed each to hang their coat,
leave their book bag and then come eat with their guest. She
reminded the children to follow their Go, Slow and Whoa Food choices
that they have been learning about.
Posters for the food groups adorn the cafeteria walls.
Good breakfast choices include wholesome foods such as fresh fruit,
and on this special occasion Crawley said they might choose a donut
after some fruit.
Later Crawley explained, "We received a Breakfast Grant to increase
participation and to educate families on the importance of
breakfast.
Along the cafeteria tables, wall posters remind students what foods
are best to eat and what should be eaten least often.
"Our goal is for each student to eat a healthy breakfast everyday.
Statistics show eating a healthy breakfast helps students with their
math and reading skills. Every student that eats at school is given
a main entree, fruit, 100% juice, and milk daily."
District 27 Schools participate
in several health and physical education programs offered
through Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital's Community Health
Collaborative (CHC). The Coordinated Approach To Child Health
(CATCH) program is designed to help children understand the
importance of nutrition and exercise. Angie Whiteman serves as
the CHC's specialist for CATCH.
Whiteman regularly goes into schools to work with kids, teachers
and staff. The nation-wide program includes a catch-phrase 'Go,
Slow, Whoa' to help kids (and adults) choose foods most healthy
for them.
[to top of second column] |
 Here,
during a Relay for Life held at Adam's School last May, Whiteman
plays a familiar spin the wheel game she plays with students to
inspire fitness and good nutritional choices.
Go Foods are good to eat almost anytime, such as skim and
low-fat milk.
Slow Foods are sometimes foods that shouldn't be eaten every
day, such as waffles and pancakes.
Whoa Foods are the least healthy and the most likely to cause
weight problems if eaten all the time. They are once-in-a-while
foods, such as French fries.
In the classroom, Whiteman often provides fruits and veggies for
taste testings, and sometimes even helps teachers with lesson
plans from the CATCH curriculum. Bruce Broccoli and Stella
Strawberry also make visits to the schools.
The 'Whoa, Slow, Go Foods' define the new classification system
of the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; part of
the National Institutes of Health.
This color coded billboard located on the Logan County
Fairgrounds illustrates the 'Go, Slow, Whoa Foods' montra used
by the CATCH program to teach kids what foods to eat more often.
[Jan Youngquist]
References and how to keep
your family eating healthy:
Chart of Go, Slow, and Whoa foods
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/
educational/wecan/downloads/go-slow-whoa.pdf
Healthy choices for your family for eating in or out
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/
wecan/downloads/tip_choices.pdf
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