ENTERPRISE, Alabama (WTVY) – At Enterprise City Schools, kindergarten students spent the last week learning their colors.
In some classrooms they go a step further and combine fruits with their colors.
On “Blue Day” there were blueberries, on “Brown Day” there were kiwis, on “Black/White Day” there were cauliflower, etc.
The curriculum will culminate at the end of the week with a Rainbow Day fruit platter.
The availability of these healthy snacks is thanks to the USDA’s Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program Grant, which ensures that students have access to nutritious, fresh food outside of regular cafeteria meal times.
“We’ve noticed that kids are more likely to take the fruits and vegetables we serve in the cafeteria. We’re serving more fresh fruits and vegetables,” said Stephanie Dillard, director of child nutrition at Enterprise City Schools.
According to a study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, students who participate in the fresh fruit and vegetable program eat more fresh produce than students who do not participate.
As part of the program, schools deliver food from the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to classrooms.
There, teachers use the food for their lessons.
For kindergartens, this means that on “color days” they learn about fruit and vegetables and their corresponding colors. For older students, small lessons on nutrition are held using the fresh products.
“The fresh fruit and vegetable grant is an educational tool for the classroom. The fruits and vegetables are distributed throughout the classroom so the children learn to grab these healthy fruits and vegetables when they grow up,” Dillard said.
Another key focus of the program is to introduce students of all ages to foods that may not be regularly available to them at home.
Throughout the year, children continue to be exposed to healthy foods and new experiences through programs like the Corn Roast, also funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture grant.
The aim of the curriculum and the program itself is to get children to try new foods, learn about local products and develop healthy lifestyle habits.
For children who are just learning colors, these habits can begin as early as kindergarten.
Subscribe to our News 4 Newsletter and get the latest local news and weather delivered straight to your email every morning. Get instant alerts on the most important stories from News 4 by signing up to our Mobile Apps.
All rights reserved.
