Teaching about healthy eating at a young age is important to develop healthy, life-long habits from childhood to adulthood. Obesity and chronic diseases, like type 2 diabetes and hypertension, were once considered adult conditions. They are now observed in children, some as young as preschool and kindergarten.

FoodWIse has partnered with the Sheboygan Area School District for many years to offer the Discover MyPlate curriculum to all Kindergarten classrooms at 7 elementary schools (Grant, Longfellow, Sheridan, Cooper, James Madison, and Jackson.) Janeth Orozco, Nutrition Educator, teaches 5 lessons to each classroom. Each lesson focuses on introducing the basic food groups and trying new foods through fun, interactive characters and age-appropriate activities. The series is also taught in Spanish for specific classrooms. In addition to the in-person classes, Janeth provides each classroom with a Bitmoji Classroom series that she developed, which also teaches about healthy eating and physical activity. The Bitmoji Classroom can be done separately during downtime in the classroom.

The program started with 1 to 2 schools. The classes were so well received and popular that the partnership quickly expanded to 7 schools. Kindergarten teachers request the program to return each school year.

For more information: follow the Fond du Lac/Sheboygan FoodWIse Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FoodwiseExtensionFondduLacSheboyganCounty/ for photos of the creative, healthy recipes that Kindergarten students make during the classes!