Kids Eat Right
Good nutrition is the foundation of good health — especially for young, growing bodies. Help elementary students in your Monterey County school or youth program learn how to make healthy choices with Kids Eat Right, a program launched by Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.
What is Kids Eat Right?
This free program offers kid-friendly, science-based education to children and families. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics created the initiative to help end the childhood obesity epidemic within a generation. The program is available in both English and Spanish.
For fourth and fifth-graders
In five weekly sessions, students in grades four and five learn simple lessons on the importance of:
- Eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
- Reading and understanding nutrition labels
- Staying active
Each session includes a fun physical activity or hands-on food preparation of healthy dishes, such as broccoli salad and yogurt parfaits. Students receive a folder with resources to share with their families.
For students in other grades
During a one-time, hour-long Fitness and Nutrition 101 workshop, students who aren’t in fourth or fifth grade:
- Prepare and enjoy a healthy recipe
- Discuss the importance of physical activity
- Learn about nutrition basics with a focus on MyPlate, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s healthy eating initiative
For families
Request a whole-family workshop called Health in Action, a free, hour-long event available in English or Spanish. Loved ones will prepare and enjoy a meal together while covering nutrition basics and ways to improve family fitness.
Resources
Download printable resources to share with the families of your students:
- English language documents
- Spanish language documents:
Program funding
Monterey Peninsula Foundation provided a significant grant to this program, enabling Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula to offer Kids Eat Right to fourth-grade classes throughout Monterey County. Additional funding has come from:
- Montage Health employees through their annual giving campaign, We Care We Share
- Nancy Buck Ransom Foundation
- Wells Fargo Bank
Testimonials
Read the rave reviews from Monterey County teachers and families about Kids Eat Right.
What teachers say
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I have been so impressed with the Kids Eat Right staff! They are professional, energetic, motivational, and enthusiastic educators. They have encouraged even the most reluctant students to try new foods, and have inspired daily movement through play. From discussions surrounding mindful eating to gratitude for the food we eat, the Kids Eat Right program encourages lifelong healthy habits and is a valuable addition to our fifth-grade programming.
Teacher, Forest Grove Elementary School
- The kids now want to grow their own garden so they can pick their own healthy snacks. Many parents have commented that when they’re grocery shopping, the kids are looking at the nutrition labels and pointing out that it’s not a healthy choice.
Teacher, Jack Francscioni Elementary School
- The activities were very interactive. They got to practice some of the things they learned about. I also enjoyed that they were taught good eating options and that we also did activities outdoors.
Teacher, San Vicente Elementary School
- I loved how simple, yet engaging the instructor was. Students clearly learned valuable life skills and recognized themselves, how thankful they were. I was surprised to see how well they retained the information.
Teacher, Kammann Elementary School
- My students love it. It’s hands-on and they learned new material about health. They’ve told me they’ve tried the recipes at home! Hope to have you back next school year.
Teacher, Rose Ferrero Elementary School
- I really liked that the kids were encouraged to try new foods. They also learned a lot about nutrition and exercise. So did I!
Teacher, Forest Grove Elementary School
What families say
- Staff was friendly and engaged and recipe was delicious.
Parent, Health in Action workshop
- It was kid friendly. Even my 3 year old participated.
Parent, Health in Action workshop
- I enjoyed having the families get together to prepare a meal. Meal was easy and healthy.
Parent, Health in Action workshop
- Great activity for our family to do together that was about health and fun.
Parent, Health in Action workshop
- I liked the participation involved in the seminar. I liked getting up and moving with the class.
Parent, Health in Action workshop
