Presented By: Kayla Droessler and Erin Carney

➢Research Team:

➢Food Bank Executive Chef

and Registered Dietitian

➢Northern Illinois

University’s faculty and

graduate students/Dietetic

Interns

➢Co-creators and

facilitators of the After-

School Nutrition Education

curriculum

➢Dietitians at the Food Bank saw the need for a

nutrition education program1

➢To increase student’s intake of undesirable or

unfamiliar food

➢Provide a fun environment for encouraging

children to try new foods

➢ Funded by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois

➢ Purpose: Improve outcome expectations, increase

behavioral capability, and provide opportunities to

try new and healthier foods through interactive

lessons

➢ Target Audience:

➢K-5th

➢5 West Chicago schools reaching 250 children per

week.

➢ Components

➢Nutrition education

➢Hands-on cooking

➢Coloring activity

➢Post-program survey

➢Nutrition Education1 ➢ Need for further education

➢ Duration of time

➢Cooking Demo2,3,4,5

➢“Children who cook are more likely to taste the foods

they have prepared than those who are simply served

meals.”2

➢“Actual cooking experiences and eating food with

peers, accompanied by cognitive learning, may provide

a promising approach to nutrition education, especially

for young children.”5

Social Cognitive

Theory6

Person Behavior

Environmental

➢Overview:

➢5 food groups ➢ 4 lessons apiece

➢ Lesson Design: 15-20 minutes total

➢Nutrition Lesson (2 min)

➢Cooking Demo &Hands on Culinary Activity (7 min)

➢Coloring Activity (4 min)

➢Review (2 min)

➢Surveys/Data Collection

➢Ground Rules

➢Brief Lesson (evidence-based)

➢Nutrient

➢Health benefit

➢Emphasize the catchphrase

VITAMIN A

B VITAMINS CALCIUM FIBER

➢This program teaches kids games that they can play during recess that focus on involving everyone, playing fair, building respect, and having fun versus playing to win

“We believe in the power of play to bring out the best in every kid.”7

➢Another component of Playworks is focusing the students’ through:

➢Interactive learning techniques

➢Attention-getters

➢Thank you claps

➢Cooking Demo

➢Ask for a student

volunteer

➢ Introduce ingredients

➢Explain steps of how to

make recipe

➢Go around and show

final “mixed snack.”

➢Assemble final product

➢Thank-you clap

➢Review

➢Hands on Culinary

Activity

➢Allow students to work in

teams to recreate the

demonstrated activity

➢Catchphrase reiterated

➢Different approaches

➢Hand out at the end

➢Walk around and help

➢Go through it together

➢For our research purposes, we distribute

surveys to the kids after the lesson:

➢ Fill out together

OR

➢Teachers help fill out in classroom after lesson

➢Results

➢Feedback from previous curriculum

➢Commentary from teachers and students

“I was very impressed with the Nutrition Education

sessions…recipes were healthy and relatable. The kids loved

the hands on experience and enjoyed tasting the foods. Many

of the students carried their excitement about the recipes

home to parents.”

- Susan, Currier Elementary

“Because the lessons are funny for our students on nutrition

day we have a better turn out for our attendance. We have

shared the cooking lessons with parents in our new letter and

students have tried the lessons at home with their family.”

- Deya, Gary Elementary

“Students had a more positive attitude about trying new foods. Students also we're coming up with other veggies

that they would eat their cold supper with.”

- Deya, Gary Elementary

“I can't express enough the level of excitement my students had over the lessons as well as the interest many students took away. It was great to have the recipes printed out so

kids could take home to their families. One student in particular reported back that she made one of the recipes for her birthday party, and another family made the recipe

and brought to one of our family events to share. Also, many students would be excited to tell their parents at dismissal about the new recipe and what they made.”

- Susan, Currier Elementary

➢Preparation

➢Available online

➢Food safety

➢Nutrition Education Package:

Others?

High school:

• Preparation

• Facilitators

• Volunteers

Both: • Longer/more

in-depth

nutrition lesson

• Cooking recipes

more complex

Middle school:

• Taught by

high schoolers ✓ “Modeling” in

SCT

1. Kelder S, Hoelscher D, Barroso C, et al. The CATCH Kids Club: a pilot after-school

study for improving elementary students’ nutrition and physical activity. Public

Health Nutrition. 2003;8(2):133-140.

2. Corr AQ, Cason K. Cooking camp provides hands-on nutrition education opportunity.

Journal of Culinary Science & Technology. 2006;5(4):37-52.

3. Cunningham, E. Teaching kids to cook. Eatright Web site. Available at:

http://www.eatright.org/resource/homefoodsafety/four-steps/cook/teaching-kids-

to-cook. June 23, 2015. Accessed March 10, 2016.

4. Hermann, M. Toddler and preschooler tasks in the kitchen. Eatright Web site.

Available at: http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/planning-and-prep/cooking-

tips-and-trends/toddler-and-preschooler-tasks-in-the-kitchen. February 13, 2014.

Accessed March 10, 2016.

5. Liquori T, Koch PD, Contento IR, Castle J. The cookshop program: outcome

evaluation of a nutrition educaton program linking lunchroom food experiences with

classroom cooking experiences. Journal of Nutrition Education. 1998;30(5):302-313.

6. Van Lange P.A.M, Kruglanski A.W., Higgins E.T. (2012). The handbook of theories

of Social Psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Inc.

7. Playworks. Illinois. Playworks Web site. Available at:

http://www.playworks.org/communities/illinois. Unknown. Accessed March 10,

2016.