The Prince Edward Island Healthy Eating Alliance and the 2009 Canada Games launched a new "Be a Lunchbox Champion" activity today. The activity encourages elementary students to bring healthy foods for snack or lunch. It reminds children, teachers and parents of the importance of healthy eating and living an active lifestyle every day.
Participating elementary schools are distributing information packages to parents which include information on the activity and healthy eating guidelines.
During the week of March 2 to March 6, students are rating their snack or lunch using the “Lunchbox Champion Food Guide” to determine if it meets gold, silver or bronze medal standards. Points are tallied and a class tracking sheet is submitted to the PEI Healthy Eating Alliance. The class with the highest score will win the grand prize which is a visit from the 2009 Canada Games mascots Abbie and Eddie and a healthy snack for the entire class!
Anne Ives, grade 6 teacher at St. Jean Elementary School says, “This is an excellent way to educate children and get them excited about eating healthy foods. Our class is pleased to be participating and I hope the students continue to be enthusiastic about their healthy lunches.”
Sherry O’Keefe, Dietitian with the PEI Healthy Eating Alliance, says, “This easy and fun classroom activity involves not only students and teachers, but also parents and guardians. It is a wonderful way for children to see how they can make healthier food choices every day.”
For more information on Be a Lunchbox Champion contact Sherry at 620-3672 or visit www.healthyeatingpei.ca.
BACKGROUNDER
Be a Lunchbox Champion
• The Healthy Eating Alliance is a group of more than 30 individuals, organizations, and government departments who are committed to improving children’s eating habits.
• Eating habits are developed in childhood and established in adolescence. When we help a child develop healthy eating habits, we are helping the child to succeed in school and life.
• Students get approximately 40 per cent of their daily food intake at school. School nutrition policies are effective in providing youth with opportunities to develop lifelong healthy eating habits.
• Healthy eating policies have been in place in elementary and consolidated schools since 2003. The policies provide clear nutrition messages for students, parents and teachers. They include guidelines for packing healthy snacks and lunches, and guidelines for the types of foods that should be available in schools and how often they should be served.
• Recent surveys show that in Prince Edward Island, less than 1 in 5 children get enough vegetables and fruit, and less than 50 per cent get enough milk and alternatives.
• Children who eat healthy meals are 33 per cent less likely to eat fried foods and 27 per cent less likely to drink pop. They eat fewer saturated fats and trans fats, and get more calcium, fiber, iron, folate, vitamin C and vitamin E.
• Activities such as Be a Lunchbox Champion create excitement around healthy food choices for children and their families.
• The Healthy Eating Alliance website is a great resource for teachers and parents. Go to www.healthyeatingpei.ca for information on healthy eating, tasty recipes, and school nutrition policy.