Food is everywhere. Eating is as easy as opening up the fridge or snack drawer and empty calories are consumed without much thought. Our kids, especially, are not taking care of their bodies—indulging on food that tastes good rather than food that’s good for them. They need to be taught how and what to eat in order to form good eating habits. It’s the sort of curriculum that simply hasn’t been stressed enough in our school systems. Until now.
Magen David Yeshivah has realized the significance of teaching nutrition education from a young age and has launched its first series of Nutrition Education classes. The hope is that, with the proper guidance, their students will learn how to eat healthy for life.
In the spring, while the seventh graders were working on a new unit about digestion, I, a registered dietitian, was invited into the classroom to talk about food and nutrition.
Entering the classroom, I passed out bottles of Snapple and asked the kids to read the amount of sugar contained in each bottle from the label. Many of the kids didn’t know where to find the information on the Snapple bottle. At that moment I confirmed the need for nutrition education and showed the kids where to find the information and what it means. By the end of their first nutrition lesson they were not only able to find the information; they were adding up calories per serving and were computing the equivalent of grams to teaspoons.
Did you know one 16 ounce bottle of Snapple has 48 grams of sugar, which is equivalent to 12 teaspoons? Ask the kids—they know it!
The kids had a great time during their lesson. They learned about the food guide pyramid, and the different food groups they should try to eat from everyday: grains, fruits, vegetables, milk, meat and beans. They learned how to correctly read a Nutrition Facts label which lists information that often goes overlooked, such as servings per container and calories per serving. They learned how to keep a food journal—a record of the foods they eat throughout the day. But most importantly, they learned about making better choices when choosing snacks or food to eat, such as eating an apple instead of drinking a glass of apple juice; eating a bag of baked chips, which has less oil than a bag of regular chips; and eating products that don’t contain trans-fat, like microwave popcorn. It’s important to think nutrient-rich rather than good or bad foods. The majority of our food choices should be packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and lower in calories.
At first, many of the kids laughed and said, “But I like Snapple!” and “I don’t care how much sugar is in it.” But the very next day, a teacher approached me and said that, while on a class trip, she found many of the kids reading the Nutrition Facts label to see how much sugar was in a can of coke, or if there were any trans fats in their bags of chips.
We need to trust that if we teach our children about proper nutrition, eventually it will sink in, even if it’s just on a subconscious level—a little voice inside their heads telling them that maybe they shouldn’t have the oily French fries. Ideally, they will start noticing a difference—an increase of energy, an improved self-image—and begin making changes without having to be told. But first we must teach our kids that to have respect for their bodies is to have respect for themselves and that a nutritionally healthy frame of mind is something they will have with them for the rest of their lives. It all starts with better choices, which can only be gained through proper education. Starting with this new school year this will become part of the curriculum at Magen David Yeshivah and, with luck, part of life both inside and outside of the classroom.
We know that good habits should be formed when you’re young. Well, why not start with habits that don’t ever need to be changed?
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Diane Terzi is an active community member. She attended Brooklyn College and is a certified registered dietitian.
