Our mission at Brighter Bites is to create communities of health through fresh food. We are a nonprofit that delivers fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands. We teach families how to use them and track their behavior change.
We make it fun. We make it free. And we make it happen via a simple, replicable formula.
PRODUCE DISTRIBUTION + NUTRITION EDUCATION + FUN FOOD EXPERIENCE
PROMOTE AWARENESS
There is widespread lack of understanding regarding how food impacts health.
CREATE DEMAND
Less than half of U.S. children eat the advised amount of fruits and vegetables daily.
IMPROVE HEALTH
Three out of every ten children in the U.S. are obese.
INCREASE ACCESS
An estimated 10% of the U.S. population has poor access to fresh food.
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.
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!
8 lessons for the WHOLE YEAR
NUTRITION EDUCATION LESSONS + PRODUCE ACTIVITIES
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.
CATCH Action Plan Example
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
