Success StoryHead Start Students are Learning How to Identify Foods



Head Start Students are Learning How to Identify Foods

Author: Bobbie Hancock

Planning Unit: Mercer County CES

Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General

Outcome: Initial Outcome

The Mercer County Nutrition Education Program Assistant, partnering with Mercer/Boyle Head Start, used the LEAP Program (Literacy, Eating, and Activity for Preschool Youth) to serve 63 children aged 4 and 5 years. The students were read a nutrition story aloud, then comprehension questions were asked of them.  The children were introduced to a MyPlate food item each month, and asked to use their senses to answer questions about the particular food item.  How does it look, feel, smell, and taste?  95% of the children sampled the item each month, and stated they would eat it again.  The participants also learn in which group on MyPlate the monthly item is included.  75% of the children were able to identify the correct food group.  The NEP sent recipes, which included the monthly food item, for the youth to make at home. The NEP had several parents tell her their child asked to prepare the recipe for their family.  






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