Schools Newsletters

School Newsletter Inserts
 Healthy Eating

Positive role modeling can impact behaviours
Helping children develop a healthy lifestyle, including healthy eating and physical activity, begins at home but can be reinforced in every setting. Caregivers, parents, teachers and instructors can help children to be active and make smart food choices by modeling healthy behaviours themselves. Remember…your children are watching!

For more information you can call Your Health Connection at 721-7520 or 1-877-721-5720 and speak with a public health nurse or click on the health unit website at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org.

Healthy fundraising…it can be done!
Fundraising with healthy foods, non-food items or events that promote physical activity is an ideal way for the school to raise funds and model healthy behaviours.  Some ideas include:
Read-a-thon; Spelling bee; Activity-a-thon (dance, bike, jump rope, skate, bowl); Live auction/ silent auction; Sales of School art drawings; Seed, bulb, and garden products; Thermal lunch bags/ Tupperware; Magazine subscriptions, etc.
If you want the opportunity to encourage healthy fundraising, get involved in your School’s Council. 

For more information you can call Your Health Connection at 721-7520 or 1-877-721-5720 and speak with a public health nurse or click on the health unit website at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org.

Packing a healthy school lunch
A school lunch should give children the energy and nutrients they need to
get them through an active afternoon.  When planning lunches keep these tips in mind:

• Include at least one serving from each food group from Canada's Food Guide
• Rather than buying pre-made lunch kits, make your own healthy “lunch kit” with divided containers and small ‘bite-sized” crackers, cheese cubes, left over chicken chunks, veggie sticks or fruit slices
• Get your kids to eat more veggies…send cucumber coins, zucchini sticks and pepper strips with dip
• Don’t drink your fruit…send water instead.  Save the 100% fruit juice for home

For more information you can call Your Health Connection at 721-7520 or 1-877-721-5720 and speak with a public health nurse or click on the health unit website at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org.

Food safety suggestions for packing lunches
School lunches should be packed with food safety in mind.  Here are some safety tips:

• Pack all lunches in insulated lunch bags or containers
• Keep foods cold with mini ice packs or frozen water bottles
• Keep foods hot by putting them in a thermos
• Wash lunch bags and containers in hot soapy water each night

For more information you can call Your Health Connection at 721-7520 or 1-877-721-5720 and speak with a public health nurse or click on the health unit website at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org.

Water is the #1 beverage
It is important for learning and concentration that students stay well hydrated.  Children should be encouraged to drink water continuously throughout the day.  Drinking fountains are not always accessible, so send water to school with your child every day.  The benefits of hydration are not the same from pop, juice, fruit drinks/beverages.  Water is the best option and should be encouraged.

For more information you can call Your Health Connection at 721-7520 or 1-877-721-5720 and speak with a public health nurse or click on the health unit website at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org.

Healthy celebrations
Healthy classroom/ school celebrations are great opportunities for children to practice the healthy eating messages they learn in the classroom. Unfortunately foods that are used in classroom celebrations are often unhealthy food choices.   These choices have become the norm and the healthy choices have become the exception.
So what can you do for your child’s next classroom celebration:

• Send a tray of watermelon slices or fruit kabobs;
• Offer to bring fruit punch made with 100% fruit juices and club soda
• Donate boxes of whole grain crackers and a block of cheese
• Send a veggie platter in the shape of a skeleton for Halloween
• Prepare chocolate dipped strawberries for Valentine’s day

For more information you can call Your Health Connection at 721-7520 or 1-877-721-5720 and speak with a public health nurse or click on the health unit website at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org.