Nutrition and Fitness
Curriculum for Youth
Focus on Healthy Snacks
Rebecca Davis
Extension Agent
Family and Consumer Sciences,
Nutrition
Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension
Sandy Corridon

 Military Childcare Facilities
 4-H Clubs
 Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs
 After-school child care programs
 In-school health, PE and FCS programs
 Parks and Recreation Programs

 How can we help youth shift to healthier habits to last a lifetime?
 How can we prevent eating problems and overweight youth?
 How can we reduce sedentary time by building physical activity into a child’s or youth’s day?
 How can we help each child to be healthier at their current size?

2010 Dietary Guidelines
Choose MyPlate

 Making smart food choices to include all food groups
 Understanding the balance between diet and activity

Department of Health and Human
Services 2008 PA Guidelines for
Americans
Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes or more of physical activity daily.

 Aerobic (cardio-vascular): Most of the
60 minutes should be moderate or vigorous intensity aerobic activity at least three days per week.
 Muscle Strengthening: Part of the 60 minutes should be muscle-strengthening activity at least three days per week
(climbing trees, playground equipment, unstructured play)

 Bone Strengthening: Part of the 60 minutes should be bone strengthening activity at least three days per week (running, jumping rope, basketball, tennis, hopscotch).

 5 chapters
 290 pages
 Age appropriate lessons
 Recipes, fitness and science
 Take home activities
 Technology challenge

 American Heart Association
The curriculum was selected for inclusion in the national Healthy Schools Program Resource
Database. Resources that are accepted by the Healthy Schools Alliance are found to be in alignment with one or more of the
Healthy Schools Program Framework
Criteria and consistent with American
Heart Association standards for scientific validity and accuracy.

 http://www.4militarypartnerships.org/
Military Partnership
 CYFERnet, the Children, Youth,
Families Educational Research Network
(USDA), and was accepted for inclusion on their website in the School Age
Educational Materials, Healthy
Lifestyles category

Outcomes
• School age
• Middle
• Teen
Instructor Essential
Information
Discussion
Multiple Activities
Reflection questions
Application to other situations
Cooking Activity
Preparation
Set Up
Supplies
Time
Technology Challenge

Intro to nutrition and physical activity
•Get in the Movement Groove and MyPlate
•Good Hygiene
•In Beat the Heartbeat
•Muscle Mania
•Picking Protein
•Flexibility is Fabulous
•Eating Rainbows
•Think Your Drink
•Grainy Brainy

Chapter Snapshot
Focus on Snacks
Chapter 1
Lesson 2 – MyPlate the Beginning Challenge
1. Short discussion on using MyPlate as a guide to healthy eating
2. Activity to estimate daily caloric needs
3. Build an eating plan
4. “Snacktivity”
MyPlate Kabobs ( cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes, lean turkey slices, pineapple, whole wheat pretzel sticks (or crackers), or whatever fruit and veggies are in season.

Chapter Snapshot
Focus on Snacks
Chapter 1
Lesson 5 – Think Your Drink
1. Short discussion on the importance of calcium for bones and other bodily functions
2. Milk taste test
3. Test tube activity that illustrates fat content of milk
4. Sugar in soda activity
5. “Snacktivity”
Make Your Own Drinks: fruit juice spritzer (orange/pineapple juice, seltzer water; juice float (fruit juice, frozen yogurt); smoothie (fresh or frozen fruit, plain yogurt, ice cubes).

•Body Image: Healthy Comes in Lots of
Sizes
•Calories In and Calories Out
•Do You See What I See?

•Nutrient Knowledge
•Break it Up – Breakfast First!
•Snack Attack
•Vegetarianism in a Nutshell
•The Truth about Vitamins, Steroids and Supplements
•Energy Drinks and Foods

Chapter Snapshot
Focus on Snacks
Chapter 3
Lesson 2 – Break it Up, Breakfast First
1. Short discussion about importance of breakfast
2. Brainstorming breakfast activity
3. Plan a breakfast activity
4. “Snacktivity”
Banana Dogs (peanut butter, whole grain hot dog bun, raisins or other dried fruit)
Breakfast Taco (corn tortilla, cheese, salsa)

Chapter Snapshot
Focus on Snacks
Chapter 3
Lesson 3 – Snack Attack
1. Short discussion about pros and cons of snacking
2. Go Slow Whoa activity
3. Reading snack labels activity
4. Fat in snack activity
4. “Snacktivity”
MyPlate Pita Pizzas (whole wheat pita bread, spaghetti or pizza sauce, red bell pepper, canned pineapple, low-sodium ham, reduced fat cheese)

•Selling or Telling
•Which Sport which Shoe?
•Label Lingo
•Media Mania
•Eating Out
•New and Unusual Foods
•It’s all about Size: Portion Distortion

Chapter Snapshot
Focus on Snacks
Chapter 4
Lesson 6 – New and Unusual Foods
1. Short discussion about trying new foods and the importance of variety to a balanced diet
2. New foods taste test activity
3. “Snacktivity”
Crazy Mix Veggie Burgers (whole wheat buns, veggie burgers, assorted cheeses and vegetables for toppings)
Savory School Paste (can of navy beans, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, s&p, precut cauliflower, broccoli and carrots)

•Walk Your Way to Fitness
•Let’s Play Outside
•Jump into Fitness
•Dancing for All Seasons
•Cooperative Play
•Planning a Wellness Event

http://www.extension.umd.edu/4-h

You will be directed to our Human Sciences page.
Click on UP for the Challenge on the left and after logging in you can download the curriculum.
UFC Evaluation Guidelines
UFC Focus on Food Pre-Post
UFC Jump Rope Pre-Post
UFC DILQ 7-10 School
UFC DILQ 7-10Summer
UFC DILQ 11-13 School
UFC DILQ 11-13 Summer
UFC Initial Application Part 2
UFC Parent Letter
UFC Child Assent Form
Line Em Up
Line Em Up Key
Body of Water Game

Evaluation surveys for your use
(7-10 year olds - inconsistent audiences)