Ogdensburg Boys & Girls Club

/in /by

Ogdensburg Boys & Girls Club

The Ogdensburg Boys & Girls Club first found out they were eligible for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) through their partnership with the Orange/Lawrence County Initiative and decided to enroll to be able to serve their participants snacks. In the beginning, they experienced challenges with implementing CACFP at the club. There were issues in tracking the snack count correctly, which is required for claiming reimbursement. The club came up with a corrective action plan, which helped them better track the numbers.  Under the plan, a staff member is responsible for escorting the students to get their snack. The students then line up, and each time a student grabs a snack, their name is recorded along with the snack count.

The Ogdensburg Boys & Girls Club has been enrolled for CACFP for five years. As Executive Director, Thomas Luckie states, “[CACFP has] been a tremendous benefit because the kids are getting healthy and balanced snacks. They are eating [food] they haven’t tried in the past… The reimbursement for us is huge…because to be a member, it’s $6.00 a year and no one is ever turned away if they can’t pay.”

Now, successfully serving snacks under CACFP, the club also incorporates nutrition curriculum into their other various enrichment activities. In addition, it promotes physical activity and provides fitness equipment such as exercise bikes, balls, and more. Altogether, the club has a multipronged approach to ensuring their participants learn to lead a healthy lifestyle.

To learn more about the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), please visit our website to read more CACFP Success Stories from afterschool programs across the states, along with helpful webinars, a sample menu, and a meal-planning template.

Carver Center

/in /by

CACFP Success Story

Carver Center: Port Chester, New York

What could you do with a reimbursement of $35,000 a month?

The Carver Center is a great example of how programs, students, and families can benefit from the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). They serve approximately 9,600 meals per month, sponsoring seven afterschool program sites in the Port Chester community.

Before enrolling for CACFP in October 2011, the Carver Center relied on donations and fundraising events to raise the funds they needed for food and meal preparation. Due to those limited funds, the food served was not the best quality and rarely made from scratch. Now, the Carver Center has established a close partnership with the Food Bank of Westchester, in addition to a variety of other vendors, enabling them to purchase foods at a reduced rate and therefore feed more children. They prepare the food on-site at their center, and then the food is delivered to various sites and served by trained servers. When they first began participating in CACFP in 2011, they were serving meals that totaled $9,000 in monthly reimbursement. As Alex Chavarria, Chief Business Officer at the Carver Center, stated, “Now, we are fortunate to receive reimbursement for every meal equaling $35,000 a month… We have happier parents who no longer have to worry about providing dinner, and healthier children who are well-fed when they leave our programs.”

Although transitioning to CACFP did require the students to adjust from the processed foods they were used to, the students are now willing to try new foods and they look forward to the new food options.  In addition, the Carver Center plans their menus ahead and gets students and families excited about the upcoming meals by sharing those menus in advance. Carver’s Chief Learning Officer, Leanne Tormey shared that “providing menus to families ahead of time and sharing menus with students has increased satisfaction and made meals events that the children look forward to each day!”

Learn more about CACFP eligibility and how to get your program started serving healthy meals and receiving reimbursements like the Carver Center by visiting AfterschoolMealsNY.org. Carver Center, offers the following advice for afterschool programs interested in enrolling for CACFP, “planning is key to success…Everyone from our chef to our prep staff, delivery team, and servers are well-trained and committed to high levels of service for our families. We recommend starting small and watching your programs grow over time.”

 

 

Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club

/in /by

CACFP Success Story

Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club | Bronx, New York

 

When Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club enrolled in CACFP in 2005, they had no second thoughts; providing healthy afterschool meals aligned perfectly with their mission to serve the educational and developmental needs of young people. Director of Operations Jaynemarie Enyonam Angbah explains, “In order for children to function academically and in life, they need access to healthy food.”

                Many of the children that attend the Club’s programs struggle with food insecurity, and may not have access to three healthy meals a day. Through CACFP, the Club can provide a hot meal and a snack during their afterschool programs. They work with a food vendor, Red Rabbit, which delivers refrigerated meals daily. Program staff then heat and serve them to youth in their enrichment programs. The meals are healthy and varied, allowing kids the opportunity to experience new foods and enjoy favorites like rice, chicken, tacos, and other healthy food options.

CACFP has benefitted Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in a number of ways. It helps offset the high cost of food, allowing the Club to serve around 600 meals each day, and it enhances the nutritional quality of the meals and snacks served. Angbah explains, “[CACFP] enabled us to focus on a healthy program. We want to make sure we are serving food that is healthy for our children [and] allows them to live well. CACFP has clear meal requirements to ensure we are serving the nutritious meals kids need.” She also sees connections between afterschool nutrition and broader health outcomes for families, saying, “There are conversations about obesity and diabetes being connected to the foods we eat. We need to give our children and families options to think about foods to incorporate in their regular diets.”

Angbah encourages other afterschool providers to enroll in CACFP as “it a rare gift and opportunity to serve children and families.” To learn more about serving afterschool meals through CACFP, visit AfterschoolMealsNY.org.

 

Pick Up the Healthy Food Choices

/in /by

Lesson Title: Pick up the Healthy Food Choices

Lesson Objectives: Students will learn to identify the specific foods that are either healthy or unhealthy.

Grade(s): 1-4

Location(s) to play: Classroom, cafeteria, or gym

Time: 30 minutes

Summary of Tasks/Actions:

  1. Each student receives a balloon and writes a specific food item on it or onto a piece of paper that is taped to the balloon. Assign some students to write healthy foods, and some to write unhealthy foods. For example, a student might write the word “carrot” on the balloon. Have the students continue to label balloons until all of them are labeled.
  2. Divide the students into 4 teams. Scatter the balloons on the floor. Have each team line up in a single file line at a starting line behind their team’s basket.
  3. An afterschool counselor will have a timer and say “Start.”
  4. The first person from each team runs to the balloons and picks up one or more balloons that are healthy food items, and then runs back to their team’s basket to deposit the balloon(s).
  5. Once a team member deposits their balloon(s), the next team member will go and pick up another balloon(s). Everyone must have a turn to pick up a balloon.
  6. They will place those balloons in their team’s basket. The student can pick us as many balloons they can hold. When time is up, the team with the most balloons wins.

Materials/Equipment:

Balloons (about 5 balloons per participant, must be blown up ahead of time)

Timer

Marker

Tape (optional)

Paper (optional)

4 baskets

Follow-Up Questions:

  1. What did you think of this game?
  2. What did you learn from the game?
  3. What would you change to make the learning stronger?

Extension Activity:

Prepare a lesson on the reasons why each food mentioned is healthy or unhealthy. Explain the health benefits of eating healthy and the harmful effects of eating unhealthy. Use the resources below:

  1. http://www.nourishinteractive.com/nutrition-education-printables (worksheets for healthy food groups)
  2. http://www.momjunction.com/articles/effects-eating-junk-food-children_0015799/#gref
  3. https://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/family/the-immediate-effect-fast-food-has-on-children-1.317147

 

Kicking for Healthy Eating

/in /by

Lesson Title: Kicking for Healthy Eating

Lesson Objectives: Students will learn to identify the specific healthy food items under each food group.

Grade(s): 1-5

Location(s) to play: Gym or cafeteria

Time: 30 to 45 minutes

Summary of Tasks/Actions:

  1. Set up 8 goals on opposite sides of the space chosen: 4 goals each for two teams titled “Whole Grains, Lean Meat/Meat Alternative, Vegetables, and Fruits.”
  2. Divide the students into two teams and identify which set of goals each team is aiming for.
  3. When the afterschool counselor asks, “What food group do(es) [specific food] belong to?” the teams start play in the same fashion as soccer. They compete to get the ball, using only their feet, and try to kick it into the correct goal to answer the question.
  4. Each correct answer is 1 point.
  5. After each point, the afterschool counselor asks about another specific food and play starts again.
  6. The team with the highest points wins.

Materials/Equipment:

Ball

Cardboard boxes to create 8 goal posts, or 8 actual soccer goals

Flip chart pad or whiteboard (to write down the score)

Markers (to record the score)

Follow-Up Questions:

  1. What did you think of this game?
  2. What did you learn from the game?
  3. What would you change to make the learning stronger?

Answer Key:

Foods under Whole Grains: Brown rice, quinoa, pita bread, bread, bun, cereal, barley, oatmeal

Foods under Lean Meat/Meat Alternative: Fish, egg, tofu, chicken, turkey, pork, lentil, lamb

Foods under Vegetable: Broccoli, carrot, beans, lettuce, tomato

Foods under Fruits: Apricots, cantaloupe, grapefruit, orange, banana, apple

 

Health Food Pictionary

/in /by

Lesson Title: Health Food Pictionary

Lesson Objectives: Students will be able to learn to identify specific healthy food choices to maintain a well-balanced meal.

Grade(s): 1-5

Location(s) to play: Classroom

Time: 20 – 30 minutes

Summary of Tasks/Actions:

  1. Have the students each write a healthy food on three separate index cards, and collect their answers.
  2. Divide the students into two groups.
  3. The counselor will time the game at a limit of five minutes for one team at a time to guess as many correct answers as possible.
  4. Each team member will pick a card and go to the board to draw the specific healthy food written on the card. Their team members must guess the answer correctly. When a team answers correctly, the next member on the team takes a turn.
  5. The counselor or a student scorekeeper keeps score of the correct answers from each team. Each correct answer is 1 point.
  6. When the first team has completed their five minutes, the next team has a turn for five minutes. If time allows, have each team take another five-minute turn.
  7. Determine the winning team based on the highest points.

Materials/Equipment:

Index cards

Dry erase board

Dry erase markers

Timer

Notepad and pen/pencil (to record the score)

Follow-Up Questions:

  1. What did you think of this game?
  2. What did you learn from the game?
  3. What would you change to make the learning stronger?

Stand Up or Sit Down for Nutrition

/in /by

Lesson Title: Stand Up or Sit Down for Nutrition

Lesson Objectives: Students will identify healthy and unhealthy foods.

Grade(s): K-3

Location(s) to play: Classroom or cafeteria

Time: 15 minutes

Summary of Tasks/Actions:

  1. For this activity, the afterschool counselor will name a specific food that is either healthy or unhealthy.
  2. For the healthy foods, the students stand up or perform a specific exercise, such as jumping jacks, squats, lunges, etc.

For the unhealthy foods, the students sit down.

Materials/Equipment: None

Follow-Up Questions:

  1. What did you think of this game?
  2. What did you learn from the game?
  3. What would you change to make the learning stronger?

Extension Activity:

Prepare a lesson on the reasons why each food mentioned is healthy or unhealthy. Explain the health benefits of eating healthy and the harmful effects of eating unhealthy. Use the following resources:

  1. http://www.nourishinteractive.com/nutrition-education-printables (worksheets for healthy food groups)
  2. http://www.momjunction.com/articles/effects-eating-junk-food-children_0015799/#gref
  3. https://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/family/the-immediate-effect-fast-food-has-on-children-1.317147

Answer Key:

Examples of healthy foods: Eggs, fish, chicken, turkey, beans, carrots, spinach, apples, oranges, cherries, strawberries, whole wheat bread, lentils, chickpeas, avocados

 

Examples of unhealthy foods: French fries, hamburgers, fried chicken, biscuits, bacon, potato chips, candy, chicken nuggets, pizza, ice cream

 

Nutrition Hand Game

/in /by

Lesson Title: Nutrition Hand Game

Lesson Objectives: Students will learn to listen, stay focused, and identify specific healthy foods.

Grade(s): 1-3

Location(s) to play: Classroom, gym, or cafeteria

Time: 15 minutes

Summary of Tasks/Actions:

  1. The afterschool counselors and students will all stand in a circle.
  2. The rhythm for the game is as follows: clap twice, then clap your lap twice, and finally snap fingers one at a time.
  3. As the group follows the rhythm together, the counselor will say, “Let’s start eating healthy. What foods are whole grain?” and say the student’s name. That student will be the first to go answer, and then the student to the left of them will answer next as everyone is following the rhythm. Students continue in order to the left.
  4. After everyone has taken a turn, the afterschool counselor will say again “Let’s start eating healthy. What foods are (next food group to follow)?”
  5. Play includes each of the following food groups: whole grains, lean meats, vegetables, fruits.

Materials/Equipment: None

Follow-Up Questions:

  1. What did you think of this game?
  2. What did you learn from the game?
  3. What would you change to make the learning stronger?

Extension Activity:

  • Prepare a lesson on the benefits of eating healthy foods with a resource listed:
    • http://www.nourishinteractive.com/nutrition-education-printables (worksheets for healthy food groups)

Answer Key:

Foods under Whole Grains: Oatmeal, barley, quinoa, cereal, bread, bun, pita bread

Foods under Lean Meat/Meat Alternatives: Fish, egg, tofu, chicken, turkey, pork, lentil

Foods under Vegetables: Broccoli, carrot, beans, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, kale

Foods under Fruits: Apricots, cantaloupe, grapefruit, orange, banana, apple, pear

Stop and Go Music Exercise

/in /by

Lesson Title: Stop and Go Music Exercise

Lesson Objectives: Students will learn listening, social interaction, and exercise skills.

Grade(s): K-3

Location(s) to play: Classroom

Time: 15 minutes

Summary of Tasks/Actions:

  1. Ask for the students’ music recommendations they want played for the game.
  2. When the music starts, students will walk around giving a high-five, a handshake, or dance with a classmate that is near them.
  3. When the music stops, they are to perform a specific exercise (squats, body twists, lunges, pushups, or arm circles) for 30 seconds.
  4. When the music turns back on, they will walk around again giving a high-five, a handshake, or dance with a classmate that is near them.

Materials/Equipment:

Music player or phone with speaker

Timer

Follow-Up Questions:

  1. What did you think of this game?
  2. What did you learn from the game?
  3. What would you change to make the learning stronger?

Food Group Relay Race

/in /by

Lesson Title: Food Group Relay Race

 

Lesson Objectives: Students will learn the different food groups that they should eat to maintain a healthy mind, body, and soul.

 

Grade(s): 1-5

 

Location(s) to play: Gym or cafeteria

 

Time: 30 minutes

 

Summary of Tasks/Actions:

  1. Students will be divided into two lines.
  2. There will be four baskets titled whole grain, lean meat/meat alternative, vegetable, and fruit.
  3. Fill two different colored small bags with beans or beads. The colors represent the two teams.
  4. An afterschool counselor will have a whistle and will be naming each different specific food. When the counselor asks “Which group do(es) [specific food] belong to?” and blows the whistle.
  5. Each student from the line will run to place their bag in the basket as their answer and run back to the back of their team’s line. Determine the winning team after counting the correct answers in the basket.

 

Materials/Equipment:

4 baskets

10 to 15 small bags such as plastic or pouch bags

Beans or beads to fill the small bags

 

Follow-Up Questions:

  1. What did you think of this game?
  2. What did you learn from the game?
  3. What would you change to make the learning stronger?

 

Answer Key:

Foods under Whole Grains: Oatmeal, barley, quinoa, cereal, bread, bun, pita bread

Foods under Lean Meat/Meat Alternatives: Fish, egg, tofu, chicken, turkey, pork, lentil

Foods under Vegetables: Broccoli, carrot, beans, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, kale

Foods under Fruits: Apricots, cantaloupe, grapefruit, orange, banana, apple, pear