The Food Fun and Reading course is designed to help children from preschool through second grade learn more about eating well through reading and activities.
“It’s a really fun program. I think children and parents are really going to enjoy it," said Darlene Christensen, an associate extension professor at Utah State University. “It promotes My Plate and nutrition. So each activity they read a book that’s related to one of the food groups. Then they make a snack that’s related to that food group and do some sort of fun, little physical activity.”
Part of the process of organizing the program was selecting the children’s books used for each food group.
“There’s a brand new one called Eating Right with My Plate with Jack and the Beanstalk and the Giant," Christensen said. "It’s a lot of fun. When he climbs the beanstalk the giant is making a healthy meal. For the fruit group, we have a really fun one with a little mouse and a great big bear and a strawberry."
After each class, children are given a take-home activity, along with nutrition information for their parents.
“Our goal is not only for the children to enjoy it, but also for them to take it home and have the parents to have some information," Christensen said.
