MISSION NUTRITION – Fruits & Veggies ROCK!Lunchtime Guidelines
MISSION NUTRITION is a program that employs positive reinforcement to promote the inclusion of fresh fruits or vegetables in student meals. A lot of teaching happens during visits to the lunch room. Prizes are powerful, but it's the teachable moments that have the lasting impact.
LET'S DO LUNCH!
- This is a high energy activity. Be prepared to scramble because the kids won't want to eat their fruits and vegetables until you have seen them! Get helpers!
- If possible, take enough incentive items with you to reward 100% of students at the lunch shift you are covering. (If there are 200 students, 200 incentive items would be ideal, but if resources don't allow that, just get to as many tables as you can.) Raffle tickets help stretch resources and the students still get excited about receiving them.
- Proceed in an organized manner from lunch table to lunch table and keep your focus on the people you are talking to. It is hard not to get distracted by the students who are waving their fruit in the air and screaming out your name (or some variation of it, such as “HEY FRUIT LADY!”)
- Some items are not technically “fresh”, such as applesauce, dried fruits, steamed veggies, etc; I give rewards for these, but also try to mention some fresh alternatives.
- It is a challenge to refrain from giving a reward to everyone, but when you see a disappointed student with no fruits and no veggies, remind them that you or another Mission Nutrition Volunteer will be back out on another day; talk to them about their favorite fruits and veggies and some yummy possibilities for their next lunch. I tell them that at least one fruit or veggie should show up for every lunch and that I look forward to “catching” them the next time I come around at lunchtime.
- When they have other healthy foods, such whole grain foods, I congratulate them, but I only hand out incentive items for fruits and veggies. Some students think that “fruit-flavored” is the same as fresh fruit, this situation provides a perfect teachable moment.
- I like to tell the students about the health benefits of the foods they are eating. For example, if I see oranges, I tell them that oranges are known for having vitamins in them that help prevent sickness and heal skin when it gets cut or scraped.
- Some students tell me they don't have any fruits and vegetables because their mom or dad didn't pack them any. I tell them how happy it makes me when my own children ask for me to keep the fridge stocked with their favorite healthy foods and I encourage them to tell their parents which healthy foods they would like to bring for lunch.
- Don't waste any time talking about “bad” food choices. This success of this mission lies in reinforcing positive behaviors.
- Thankfully, there are no known life-threatening consequences that result from not getting a fruit-scented sticker. If you don't have the time or resources to get to every student, it is a bummer, but they will survive the disappointment. Encourage them to keep up the good work and hand out compliments and congratulations when the stickers run out! Let them know, you will try to “catch” them next time. I want my students to know how proud I am of them for the great choices they are making.
- Have a wonderful time! You are a fruits and veggies ROCK STAR!!!
