My Nutrition Voyage

So this year I decided to try out a new Curriculum, Nutrition Voyage with a class of 7th grade students.  It is a Team Nutrition Curriculum.

To start, I am not staff at the school. I come from an outside organization to hold a 1 hour nutrition class during the after school program time 3-4pm.  There is always staff on site, however I am to lead the lesson.

As part of the First Trek, the students are expected to keep a food diary.  The main problem with this was that seeing as I am only at the school the one day a week to teach for that one hour, I wasn't able to remind the students or follow up with them on their tracking.  Thankfully, my fellow educator Laura foresaw that some students may forget to fill it out so she made a sample Food Diary to use. The students were incredibly confused, had no idea how to fill in the page




Laura was to lead my next few classes, and felt like it was too difficult to continue and so she moved on to a couple of direct one-times, some of our go to curriculum. Blubber Burger, Rethink your drink type thing. She also spoke with the coordinator about how to make things work better in the future.

When I returned I was determined to try at least once more with the students

1. Because I am very stubborn
2. I think everyone deserves the opportunity to learn, and the more difficult it is, the better it feels when you do accomplish it.

So I focused on taking on the Second Trek, in which we are too conduct a survey of other students, then analyze and graph the data, and eventually create a poster board.  I split that into three days when we would be together and the end product was this

I feel as if the students really pulled together to gather the data, analyze and graph it, and eventually decorate and creat a poster to show the results of their survey.  It was very rewarding to see the end product and the quality of work these students are capable of when they put their minds to it. So overall, unless you can help them track their meals with the first track, I may advise to move onto the second track so they have something to show for it at the end of the sessions.

International Women's day

Savor the Flavor

When I think of Nutrition, my first though is healthy.

Few could say their first thought is flavor.

even fewer would say savor the flavor.

But the more I think of it, the more I appreciate the Savor the Flavor theme for National Nutrition Month.

It takes me back to when I first tried a salad without dressing (by dressing I mean dousing it with Ranch or Blue Cheese).

It was arugula salad, with freshly grated Parmesan, apple, and pine nuts with olive oil and lemon zest.

Not adding a ranch to cover the taste of the veggies really allowed me to savor the flavor of that salad, I grew to have a deep affinity for arugula for having so much flavor for such a small leafy green. I was able to appreciate what every ingredient added to this salad. The apple, lemon zest and olive oil added a freshness to balance it all out. I walked away thinking, OMG that salad was good, and so flavorful!

In nutrition, we often talk about using spices to bring flavor to dishes, rather than adding fat or salt. It's finding a different method to create satisfying dishes using other flavors and spices.

So I believe Savor the Flavor is incredibly appropriate as the theme for National Nutrition Month, because eating healthy is about eating food that tastes good, without all the unhealthy additives, but rather with adding in healthy flavors and truly savoring them.

It's that time of the year again!!! National Nutrition Month!

For recipes go to foodlink's site

Be sure to #RocNNM and tag @foodlinkny with pics of your recipes!

The life of an Educator

It is very hard having an off day as an educator.

I swear it’s like those adolescent eyes can see right through you,

Like they can smell the fear and insecurity.

I had 24 thirteen year-old boys and girls looking at me earlier to provide a nutrition lesson, and I almost froze.

I heard the groans when I entered,

The whispering in Spanish, ¿Que hace ella aqui?

The catty remarks at how they will attempt to utterly disobey my every request.

They say vulnerability is the greatest measure of strength and courage. 

If one can be vulnerable, then they can truly grow and be better.

I don’t typically have a problem with this, as I am a firm believer that even mistakes contribute to the body of knowledge.

Vulnerability

Brene Brown Ted Talk

But having a bad day is truly not an option as an educator.

You have to be ready, with extra activities or games,

Just in case you fail at facilitating a meaningful dialogue with students.

I know this.

Now if only I could apply this same principal to other parts of my life.

Be ready, for those moments when what you thought was enough isn’t.

Have a back up plan.

And a back up plan in case your back up plan fails.

After all, failure to plan is planning to fail right?

And her shame talk is awesome too, so more Brene Brown.

My understanding is

Shame is about you.

Guilt is about the behavior.

Shame is focused on the person. 

"I failed, so I am a failure"

It is condemning and chronic.

It makes us think we aren't worthy.

Why food policy is worth fighting for: Chellie Pingree at TEDxManhattan