Food in the Classroom

Mealtime is not the only time when kids can practice making healthy food choices. Snacks and classroom celebrations are important times to emphasize healthy food. Trying healthy food can be integrated into multiple subjects. 

Food in the Classroom Ideas:

• Make trying healthy foods a regular part of your classroom learning.
• Encourage healthy responses to new foods by following consistent tasting rules.
• If your school participates in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, use these resources to add nutrition education and promotion during fruit and veggie snack service.
• Learn the basics of classroom food safety through this handout.
• Use this food safety checklist to ensure food is handled safely in the classroom.
• Model healthy eating behaviors by consuming healthy foods and beverages in front of your students.

Additional Resources:

• Plan classroom celebrations that are consistent with your school district’s Wellness Policy, and that don’t conflict with nutrition promotion efforts.
• Include nutrition education curricula as a means to teach math, science, language arts, and other subjects.

Wellness Policy

Check your school district’s wellness policy to see if there is information about serving food in the classroom. At a minimum, ensure that you follow classroom food safety guidelines for serving food.