5 minute read
OUR NOT-SO-SECRET FORMULA
Produce Distribution
Every week of programming, Brighter Bites heads to elementary schools and summer camps to distribute fresh, seasonal produce. These bags and boxes contain ~50 sevings of an ever-changing variety of fresh fruits and veggies, weighing close to 20 pounds.
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Nutrition Education
We teach kids, parents, and teachers how to make the most of their produce. We believe teachers are important role models in the lives of children, and we support them in the implementation of evidence-based nutrition education in the classroom. In addition, we provide easy recipes, kitchen how-to’s and tips, and healthy topics via text message, newsletter, and mobile app for families to use at home.
Fun Food Experience
Brighter Bites staff know that healthy food does not have to be indimidating, so we create a welcoming environment for families. We connect and engage with families and students through in-person produce distributions and recipe demonstrations over the course of the year.
Educators, you are an irreplaceable part of our program!
Your role in nutrition education and physical education is a huge part in true behavior change in our Brighter Bites students. Now more than ever you are our heroes for everything you do not only for the academic advancement of your students, but also because of how much you care for their overall wellbeing. That makes you one of our biggest allies to create excitement about immune-supporting foods and teaching your students the importance of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Thank you for helping us foster an environment of health and wellness in your schools!
IT’S AS EASY AS 1, 2, 8!
1 CLASSROOM, 2 COMPONENTS, 8 EACH!
NUTRITION EDUCATION LESSONS + PRODUCE ACTIVITIES
8 lessons for the WHOLE YEAR
8 produce activities each semester
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS GUIDE?
All the tools you need for success!
Catch Action Plan
The CATCH Action Plan contains all 8 lesson titles hyperlinked by grade and due dates will be outlined by each city.
PRODUCE ACTIVITIES
All the tools you need for success!
CATCH P.E. ACTIVITIES & MORE TOOLS FOR YOU!
Physical Education information, teacher wellness tips, recorded orientation, tracking links, news, and more!
Whole Child Wellness For Schools And Communities
For over 30 years, the CATCH platform has been proven to launch kids and communities toward healthier lifestyles. CATCH Global Foundation is committed to making the many evidence-based CATCH health programs available to kids everywhere.
https://letsgo.catch.org/
What is CATCH?
CATCH (Coordinated Approach to Child Health) is an evidence-based coordinated health program that has been shown to prevent childhood obesity and launch kids and communities toward healthier lifestyles. CATCH impacts a child’s nutrition knowledge, level of physical activity, classrom environment, and community, by making healthy decisions easy and fun. This coordinated curriculum engages all stakeholders of a child’s life including, parents, teachers, administrative staff, PE coaches, cafeteria staff, and the larger school community.
Brighter Bites produce helps families apply the nutrition ideas at home that students learn during CATCH lessons. Our nutrition education handbooks and nutrition education materials for parents also incorporate CATCH concepts, enabling families to support what students are learning in the classroom.
Track your CATCH lessons here: track.brighterbites.org
WANT MORE RESOURCE IDEAS?
Please visit the Produce Activity section of the Teacher Tools page to access more resources. brighterbites.org/teacher-tools/produce-activities/
What are Produce Activities?
A Produce Activity is a short nutrition activity that is meant to get students engaged with healthy topics. These 5 minute “brain break” activities are enacted by grade level classroom teachers during every week of Brighter Bites programming throughout the school year.
You will have access to Produce Activity suggestions that align with our healthy topics such as Eat the Rainbow . We also have additional resources such as student worksheets and quick videos you can play for your students.
CATCH P.E. ACTIVITIES
CATCH PE is designed to promote children’s enjoyment and participation of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during PE classes, recess and extracurricular activities. The primary focus of CATCH PE is for schools to provide quality physical education in which students engage in maximum amounts of enjoyable MVPA during class time. https://letsgo.catch.org/
Track your CATCH P.E. Activites here: track.brighterbites.org
TEACHER TOOLS PAGE
Visit our Teacher Tools page for all of the information you need and FAQs to help get you started!
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
Teacher wellness tips, recorded orientation, tracking links, news, and more!
MORE QUESTIONS?
Contact us at education@brighterbites.org
FIND YOUR PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Find your Program Coordinator on our Connect with Us page.
TEACHER NEWSLETTER
Sign up for our Teacher Newsletter today!
STAY CONNECTED
Join the converation on social media!
WWW.BRIGHTERBITES.ORG
Produce Distribution
Brighter Bites staff, with the support of school staff and volunteers, will distribute produce to families.
Family Enrollment And Engagement
Brighter Bites enrollment is paperless. We will have digital enrollment available for families to sign up from home. Although enrollment is rolling, we encourage families to sign up at the beginning of the year in order to get the most out of our nutrition education tips and tools throughout the year. We also have our Brighter Bites Mobile App in the Android, Apple App, and Amazon Stores to help families engage with our nutrition education tools in their own profile within the app.
Brighter Bites shares recipes, kitchen how-tos, culinary tips, and healthy topic posts and videos on Facebook and Instagram. We encourage school staff to share the Fun Food Experience posts with their students, as well as participate in the Brighter Bites Facebook city groups.
Nutrition Education
Teachers, including Physical Education Coaches/Teachers, will be required to deliver eight CATCH lessons over the course of the year. Your Brighter Bites Program Coordinator will provide your school with an action plan to simplify leading and tracking the lessons. Teachers are oriented at the beginning of the school year on which lessons to teach and how to log them.
Nutrition education reports will be shared with your school’s administration throughout the school year to assist you in successful implementation of all CATCH lessons and CATCH P.E. activities.
Teachers using the CATCH curriculum may access lessons via the online portal at CATCH.org. All teachers will log their CATCH lessons and CATCH P.E. activities at track.brighterbites.org.
This year we are able to serve grade-level classroom teachers, lead physical education teachers, and special education teachers who would like to pick up produce for personal consumption. School staff who fall under these categories may pick up their produce at designated times determined by their campus administration and assigned Program Coordinator.
For more answers to your questions, visit our website: https://brighterbites.org/teacher-tools/
Brighter Bites Is Changing Behavior
Research by UTHealth shows that two years after participating in the program, an average Brighter Bites family consumes 19 additional servings of fresh fruits and vegetables over one week.
BRIGHTER BITES IS INCREASING FRUIT & VEGETABLE (F&V) INTAKE IN SCHOOL LUNCHES
Research by UTHealth shows that Brighter Bites significantly reduces Fruit & Vegetable waste and related nutrient waste in school lunches.
“Brighter Bites made me cook things I wouldn’t have bought for fear of wasting money if my children didn’t like it.”
HAPPY PARENT
“We loved this program! It was great to volunteer to load bags, and such a treat to enjoy delicious, healthy food at home. It helps us discuss good choices with our kids and makes us proud of our school!”
HAPPY PARENT
Brighter Bites Is Increasing Parent Involvement In School
Research by UTHealth shows that 69% of 704 teachers surveyed agree that Brighter Bites has increased parental engagement at their school.
BRIGHTER BITES IS GROWING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE U.S.
Since 2012, Brighter Bites has delivered more than 50 million pounds of fresh produce at more than 412 sites to over 500,000 individuals (including teachers) across multiple states.
“I am more impressed each and every week. Not only with the goal of the program, but also with the participation rate, how smoothly the distribution runs, and the dedication shown by our parent volunteers. Brighter Bites is really making a difference.”
HAPPY TEACHER
“Thank you on behalf of the families, staff, and students. Brighter Bites is a uniting force in ensuring that our community becomes well versed on the topic of healthy eating”
HAPPY PRINCIPAL
