June 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 66

NRPA Update

How to Use NRPA's Commit to Health:
Foods of the Month Program
By Allison Colman

ark and recreation agencies across the country are creating healthier communities by implementing Healthy Eating, Physical Activity (HEPA)
standards through NRPA's Commit to Health campaign. Join the movement and encourage your community to eat healthy and get moving with
NRPA's new nutrition literacy curriculum, Commit to Health: Foods of the Month.
The Commit to Health: Foods of the
Month nutrition literacy curriculum is
specifically designed to provide park
and recreation agencies with the tools
and resources they need to educate
youth and families about the importance of eating healthy and being physically active. The year-long curriculum
highlights two foods each month,
showcasing the nutritional value and
health benefits they provide, as well as
incorporating fun, hands-on, age-appropriate activities. All of the materials
provided are free, easily accessible and
downloadable at www.nrpa.org/commit-to-health-foods-of-the-month. The
curriculum includes:
Foods of the Month Calendar: Use the
Foods of the Month Calendar to plan
your out-of-school time nutrition educa-

64 Parks & Recreation

tion activities for the entire year. Don't
forget to print the calendar and display it
at your park and recreation sites!
Lesson Plan Guide: Use the monthly lesson plan guide to implement
the Commit to Health: Foods of the
Month nutrition literacy curriculum.
The lesson plan guide is divided into
suggested weekly activities that include
experiential activities; coloring and activity sheets; fun, being active tips; and
USDA MyPlate activities. Two age-appropriate lesson plan guides are available for each month: one for grades
K-2 and another for grades 3-5.
Foods of the Month Posters: Display
the Foods of the Month Posters each
month at your park and recreation
sites! Posters illustrate the corresponding Foods of the Month and contain
detailed information on nutrient content as well as examples of each food.

dren will enjoy exploring and learning
about the foods of the month with coloring and activity pages for each food.
Fun, Experiential Activities: A variety of fun, experiential activities can
be conducted with the foods of the
month, encouraging constant learning and incorporating skills such as
reading, math, language, etc.
USDA MyPlate and Other Fun,
Healthy Activities: The United
States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) has some amazing resources available for educating children
about nutrition and physical activity.
Each month, use some of these free
resources to enhance your programs.
Fun, Being Active Tips: We can't forget about the importance of physical
activity! Each month, try some fun
and exciting activities to get your
community up and moving!

Newsletter with Tips and Healthy
Recipes: A newsletter is available
each month for both Foods of the
Month. Each newsletter contains
information about the Foods of the
Month, including nutrient content
and varieties, additional tips and
facts about the foods, and healthy
recipes that families can try at home.

Resources for the Home Newsletter:
Provide parents with some additional
resources each month! This monthly
family engagement newsletter contains nutrition and physical activity
tips for families!
June-August materials are currently available at www.nrpa.org/commit-to-health-foods-of-the-month. All
other months will be available in late
August.

Coloring and Activity Pages: Chil-

Allison Colman is NRPA's Program Manager
(acolman@nrpa.org).

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June 2016 - Parks & Recreation

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