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Nutrition Education Resources for Teachers

Elementary students sit at cafeteria tables in rows during a school lunch

Offering Nutrition Education in schools at all age levels helps prepare students for critical life skills and life-long healthy habits. Children who develop healthy habits at an early age are more likely to be well, stay well, and do well in school.

Students who graduate from high school with a strong background in Nutrition Education will have the skills to make informed nutrition and health decisions. As with any subject, students succeed when they begin building basic skills early, so that when they graduate from high school, they can continue to make healthy food choices for themselves. And most important, students who have developed competencies in Nutrition Education will begin adulthood with an appreciation and healthy enjoyment of food, as well as a positive body image. The prevalence of obesity among children has roughly tripled in the past 30 years. Numerous health risks are associated with obesity; therefore, schools have the responsibility to provide effective Nutrition Education to teach students to navigate a complex world of food and nutrition choices.

Farm to School Programs

Ideas for Teachers

  • Take a tour of the garden.
  • Start an afterschool or during school garden club.
  • Bring a farmer into the classroom.
  • If you do not have a garden, try a Garden in a Glove (PDF) lesson or Desktop Garden (PDF) lesson.
  • Get the whole family involved, create an extra credit assignment to plant a vegetable, herb, or fruit.
  • Take a field trip to a farm.
  • Show educational films about food or gardening.
  • Establish Farm to Summer NE activities coordinating local foods served in the cafeteria

Ideas for Farmers or Garden Teachers

  • Bring produce into classes and talk about Tops and Bottoms (PDF).
  • Bring a potted plant or tree into the classroom, so students can see how the plant grows.
     

Food Tasting Activities

Ideas for Teachers

  • Try taste testing in the garden.

  • Incorporate a theme or holiday into taste testing.

  • Use fun names for your food samples.
     

Cooking Experiences

Ideas for Teachers

  • Connect a Nutrition Education lesson with a cooking activity.

  • Try cooking or making a healthy dish or snack in the classroom.

  • Incorporate a theme or holiday cooking experience.
  • Create an extra credit or homework assignment to cook or make a healthy dish, snack, or smoothie at home.
     

Core Curricula

Ideas for Teachers

Nutrition Education Programs
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
MyPlate
Team Nutrition
https://www.fns.usda.gov/nutritioneducation

Excess Sugar and Health Affects on the Body:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utXcI3FqzeM

What Happens to Your Body When You Quit Sugar for 14 Days?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPyFIvCvh8U

Is Sugar in Fruit Different Than Sugar in Soda?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5IOkU53C3s

Sugar Hiding in Plain Sight
Middle school lesson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4CZ81EmAsw

The Skinny on Obesity
Drugs, Cigarettes, Alcohol….and Sugar?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moQZd1-BC0Y

Physical Activity Education
https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/resources/nutrition-education-materials/physical-activity

Team Nutrition Resources for Schools
Elementary & Secondary & Afterschool
Posters and Quizzes
https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/school

Power UP -Nutrition Education for TEENS
12 Lessons/Materials/Handouts
https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/nutrition-education/fns-curricula/power

Nutrition Education for Kindergarten
https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/myplate/nutrition-education-kindergarten

Dairy’s Functional Health Benefits
Resources for all age groups
Nutrition Education: Resource Recommendations

Nutrition Education Resources

USDA Team Nutrition (school nutrition education hub)

What it is: USDA’s main hub for evidence-informed school nutrition education materials and curricula (often aligned with school meal programs).
Best for: Classroom lessons + schoolwide nutrition culture (cafeteria, family engagement).
Use it for: Ready-to-use lesson materials, kid-facing MyPlate resources, and school-friendly nutrition education supports.
Reference: USDA Food and Nutrition Service (Team Nutrition / MyPlate).

https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/myplate

“Serving Up MyPlate: A Yummy Curriculum” (USDA)

What it is: A structured curriculum for elementary grades, integrating nutrition into core subjects.
Best for: Grades 3–6 nutrition education with hands-on activities.
Use it for: Lesson plans that connect food groups/MyPlate to math, science, ELA, and health; also includes physical activity messages.
Reference: USDA FNS – Serving Up MyPlate curriculum page.

https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/serving-myplate-yummy-curriculum

“Dig In! Standards-Based Nutrition Education” (USDA)

What it is: A standards-based curriculum focused on food, plants, and eating patterns (with engaging lesson sequence).
Best for: Upper elementary / middle school nutrition + food systems basics.
Use it for: Themed lessons (e.g., “Eat Your Colors,” “Farm to Plate,” “Chef Challenge”) with classroom activities.
Reference: USDA FNS – Dig In! curriculum.

https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/digin

MyPlate “Toolkits for Communicators & Educators” (USDA)

What it is: A teacher-friendly collection of modular MyPlate activities, tip sheets, and teaching aids.
Best for: Quick grab-and-go handouts, classroom visuals, family take-home materials.
Use it for: Lesson modules, teaching aids, and age-specific kid resources (games/activities).
Reference: MyPlate.gov educator toolkit + resources.

https://www.myplate.gov/professionals/toolkits/communicators-and-educators

CDC HECAT (Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool)

What it is: A CDC tool to evaluate/choose health education curricula using clear criteria (standards-based).
Best for: School/district leaders or teachers on committees deciding “what curriculum should we adopt?”
Use it for: Rubrics, scoring, and structured review of nutrition/health curricula quality and alignment.
Reference: CDC – HECAT overview page.

https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-youth/hecat/index.html

CDC School Health Index (SHI)

What it is: A self-assessment + planning tool to strengthen a school’s health environment (policies + practices).
Best for: Prevention at the systems level (healthier school environment, coordinated school health).
Use it for: Identifying strengths/gaps and building an action plan connected to the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child framework.
Reference: CDC – School Health Index page.

https://www.cdc.gov/assessing-improving-school-health/shi/index.html

CDC “Nutrition Education in Schools” (evidence-informed guidance)

What it is: CDC guidance on why nutrition education matters and what schools should do.
Best for: Justifying and designing prevention-focused nutrition education (especially when you need rationale for admin/parents).
Use it for: Key framing: nutrition education dosage, behavior change expectations, and school best practices.
Reference: CDC – School Nutrition: Nutrition Education.

https://www.cdc.gov/school-nutrition/education/index.html

CDC BAM! Body and Mind (grades 4–8 classroom portal)

What it is: Classroom-ready content to help students make healthier lifestyle choices (nutrition + activity + health topics).
Best for: Grades 4–8 health mini-lessons, readings, activities, and handouts.
Use it for: Teacher resources, student-friendly explainers, and physical activity “activity cards.”
Reference: CDC archived BAM teacher pages (still widely used).

https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/healthyschools/bam/teachers.htm

FDA “Science and Our Food Supply” (food safety + nutrition literacy)

What it is: Hands-on teacher guides linking food safety/nutrition to real life.
Best for: Middle and high school science/health integration (food labels, safety, systems).
Use it for: Modular teacher guides and classroom activities that support informed decision-making.
Reference: FDA – Students & Teachers: Science and Our Food Supply.

https://www.fda.gov/food/students-teachers/science-and-our-food-supply

USDA National Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix (food systems + nutrition tie-ins)

What it is: A free database of standards-based lesson plans integrating agriculture/food into multiple subjects (often connects naturally to nutrition).
Best for: Food systems education, farm-to-school tie-ins, cross-curricular projects.
Use it for: Lesson plans searchable by grade/subject/themes that can support prevention topics (food choices, access, systems).
Reference: USDA NIFA – Agriculture in the Classroom program page.

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/k-12-higher-education-programs/agriculture-classroom-aitc-program

FoodSpan (Johns Hopkins CLF) – free high school food systems curriculum

What it is: A free downloadable grades 9–12 curriculum on the food system from farm to fork, including health, equity, environment.
Best for: High school health, science, social studies, or CTE (deep prevention + systems thinking).
Use it for: Inquiry-based lessons, activities/extensions, and full curriculum downloads (lesson plans/handouts).
Reference: FoodSpan official site (Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future).

https://foodspan.org/

NIH/NHLBI We Can! (family/community-based prevention lessons)

What it is: A long-running NIH initiative promoting healthier eating, activity, and reduced screen time for kids, with toolkits/curricula.
Best for: After-school, family nights, community-school partnerships.
Use it for: Practical tip sheets and activity-based lesson structures for behavior change support.
Reference: NIH NHLBI We Can! toolkit materials.

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sites/default/files/publications/05-5272_toolkit_body.pdf

American Heart Association school programs (activity + wellness resources)

What it is: School-oriented programs with curriculum resources and classroom supports for healthy lifestyles.
Best for: Physical activity + heart health messaging + school engagement.
Use it for: Age-appropriate lesson plans, videos, and school program toolkits.
Reference: American Heart Association – educator school programs.

https://www.heart.org/en/professional/educator/school-programs

American Diabetes Association – Diabetes Education & School Resources

What it is: The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is a leading U.S. nonprofit focused on diabetes research, education, prevention, and support for people living with or at risk for diabetes. Founded in 1939, it provides evidence-based resources for clinical care, healthy lifestyles, and chronic disease prevention.
Best for: Supplementing school health curriculums with diabetes prevention education, nutrition guidance, and school care training.

https://diabetes.org/food-nutrition

California-Specific Health & Nutrition Education Resources for Schools

California Department of Education – Healthy Eating & Nutrition Education

What it is: The official state education agency’s resource hub on school nutrition, healthy eating habits, best practices, policy guidance, and wellness resources for schools.
Best for: Teachers and school nutrition staff seeking state policy guidance, healthy eating resources, and school meal nutrition info.
Use it for: Nutrition education integration ideas, policy guidance on beverages and competitive foods, background on CDE menu standards and Farm to School opportunities.
Reference: California Dept. of Education – Healthy Eating & Nutrition Education.

https://www.cde.ca.gov/LS/nu/he/

California Dept. of Education – Nutrition Education in California Schools

What it is: A state-level overview on how nutrition education can be structured within schools (as standalone courses or integrated subjects).
Best for: Educators looking for guidance on implementing nutrition education and how to connect it with school gardens, food tastings, and Farm to School.
Use it for: Strategic ideas, best practices, and supporting nutrition behavior-change learning experiences in PreK–12 settings.
Reference: CDE – Nutrition Education in California Schools.

https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/he/nutritionedcaschools.asp

California Health Education Content Standards

What it is: The state standards that define what students should know and be able to do in health education, including nutrition, physical activity, and chronic disease prevention, from kindergarten through grade 12.
Best for: Curriculum planners and teachers wanting standards-aligned lesson planning guidance.
Use it for: Designing lessons that meet state expectations for health literacy, diet/physical activity choices, risk reduction, and decision-making skills.
Reference: California Health Education Content Standards.

https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/healthstandmar08.pdf

UC Davis Nutrition Classroom Curriculum Resources

What it is: A set of free downloadable nutrition education guides and curricula developed in partnership with California educators and researchers to align with state standards.
Best for: Teachers who want sequenceable, environment-enhanced nutrition lessons (including garden-to-plate connections).
Use it for:

  • Nutrition Education Resource Guide (guides to plan nutrition instruction)
  • Nutrition to Grow On (garden-enhanced lessons for grades 4–6)
  • Discovering Healthy Choices (learner-centered decision-making nutrition lessons).
    Reference: UC Davis CNS classroom resources.

https://cns.ucdavis.edu/resources/classroom

Dairy Council of California – K-12 Nutrition Education Materials

What it is: A statewide nonprofit offering free nutrition education programs, lesson plans, games, and downloadable teacher resources tailored to California students.
Best for: Classroom teachers who want grade-specific nutrition plans and student activities anchored in USDA MyPlate guidance.
Use it for:

  • Standalone lessons across grade levels
  • Handouts and healthy recipes
  • Professional development resources
  • Classroom activities around balanced eating.

Reference: Dairy Council of California resources.

https://dairycouncilofca.org/

Center for Ecoliteracy – Experiential Food & Ecology Lessons

What it is: A California-headquartered nonprofit that provides sustainable food systems and nutrition education tools (often experiential and cross-curricular).
Best for: Teachers seeking food system, garden-to-table, and ecology integration with nutrition education.
Use it for: Activities, case studies, and frameworks that connect nutrition to sustainability, ecology, and food culture.
Reference: Center for Ecoliteracy.

https://www.ecoliteracy.org/home

Edible Schoolyard Project – Garden-Enhanced Nutrition Curriculum

What it is: A California model program that integrates gardening and kitchen learning into school nutrition education.
Best for: Schools or teachers developing hands-on food literacy through garden + kitchen classes.
Use it for: Curriculum and instructional models linking planting, harvesting, and cooking to nutrition and wellness lessons.
Reference: Edible Schoolyard Project.

https://edibleschoolyard.org/

California School-Based Health Center (SBHC) Resource Guide (CDPH)

What it is: A resource compendium from the California Dept. of Public Health for school health center staff, including nutrition, food security, prevention, and training resources.
Best for: Schools with health centers or partnerships interested in broader prevention messaging that includes healthy eating, physical activity, chronic disease, and wellness outreach.
Use it for: Broader public health materials that staff can share with families and students.
Reference: CDPH SBHC Resource Guide.

https://www.schoolhealthcenters.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/CDPH-SBHC-Resource-Guide-2019.pdf

State Policy Trends That Support Health & Nutrition Education

(Useful for school administrators, curriculum committees, and wellness councils)

  • California School Obesity & Diabetes Task Force recommends strengthening nutrition education and physical activity programs across schools.
  • California has enacted state standards and laws to improve student nutrition environments (e.g., phase-out of ultra-processed foods in school meals over the next decade), underscoring the state’s focus on prevention.

Mental Health Resources For Schools

Fig 1. University of California Video: What stress does to your body (it isn’t always bad!)

Description: Americans are some of the most stressed out people in the world. But according to UCSF’s Dr. Elissa Epel, not all stress is the same. It’s all about how you react to the things that stress you out.

https://youtu.be/m0s3039GYxc?si=uApZ_pNeTyqAMawD

 

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