Direct Education Programs

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For Schools


Nutrition Connections works with schools, youth and the greater school environment to create healthy and sustainable changes through direct-education, PSE intervention (policy, systems, environment), technical assistance and wellness collaboration.

We offer a series of evidence-based lessons tailored to each age group that teaches the importance of healthy eating, nutrition and physical activity. We can pair lessons with taste tests from the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.

Programs and Curriculums We Recommend

 

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WELL Bundle

This program is designed to be used in Early Childcare centers (with Head Start in mind) and works to help educators get children interested in learning about the importance of nutritious foods and being physically active.

  • Audience: pre-school children
  • Cost: Free
  • Setting: In Head Start classroom
  • Provided by: UNH Extension, Nutrition Connections Educators
  • Contact: Kate Graves

CATCH

Features fun, interactive lessons that differ by grade level. Lessons include movement activities, nutrition related games, snack preparation and goal setting. This curriculum is tailored towards out of school settings.

  • Audience: grades K-5
  • Cost: Free
  • Setting: After school/Summer
  • Provided by: UNH Extension, Nutrition Connections Educators
  • Contact: Laura Alimayu

Harvest of the Month (HOM)

A curriculum from NH Farm to School that features monthly lesson plans and activities. The goal in this curriculum is to promote locally grown produce while increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in children. Lesson topics: locally grown produce, trying new fruits and vegetables, physical activity.

  • Audience: grades 4-5
  • Cost: Free
  • Setting: In school
  • Provided by: UNH Extension, Nutrition Connections Educators
  • Contact: Laura Alimayu

Pick a Better SnackTM (PABS)

The goal of the Pick a Better SnackTM curriculum is to introduce students to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, teaching them about the importance of consumption for overall health. Lesson topics: locally grown produce, trying new fruits and vegetables, physical activity.

  • Audience: grades K-3
  • Cost: Free
  • Setting: In school
  • Provided by: UNH Extension, Nutrition Connections Educators
  • Contact: Laura Alimayu

Show Me Nutrition

This curriculum features carefully tailored lessons organized by grade. Depending on the grade, students will learn about age-appropriate nutrition and wellness topics such as basic food safety and hygiene, reading food labels, the five food groups and how media influences food choices.

  • Audience: grades K-5
  • Cost: Free
  • Setting: In school
  • Provided by: UNH Extension, Nutrition Connections Educators
  • Contact: Laura Alimayu

CATCH

Features fun, interactive lessons that differ by grade level. Lessons include movement activities, nutrition related games, snack preparation and goal setting. This curriculum is tailored towards out of school settings.

  • Audience: grades 6-8
  • Cost: Free
  • Setting: After school/Summer
  • Provided by: UNH Extension, Nutrition Connections Educators
  • Contact: Laura Alimayu

Choose Health: Food, Fun and Fitness

A series of six interactive lessons that use the experiential learning model to teach healthy eating and physical activity. Lessons include hands on nutrition activities, food preparation, active games and goal setting. Lesson topics: sugar sweetened beverages, fruits, vegetables, physical activity, added sugars and fat.

  • Audience: grades 6-8
  • Cost: Free
  • Setting: After school/Summer
  • Provided by: UNH Extension, Nutrition Connections Educators
  • Contact: Laura Alimayu

Eatfit

Eatfit is a 9-lesson goal-oriented curriculum created by the University of California, Davis. The goal of this curriculum is to improve the eating and fitness choices of middle school students. Students use interactive tools to assess their current diet and physical activity levels. Lesson topics: dietary and fitness level analysis, energy, understanding food label, breakfast, fast food, screen time physical activity.

  • Audience: grades 6-8
  • Cost: Free
  • Setting: In school
  • Provided by: UNH Extension, Nutrition Connections Educators
  • Contact: Laura Alimayu

Train the Teacher is a program that allows school teachers to learn how to implement one of our curricula on their own time, with support from us. Rather than have a Nutrition Connections teacher come into the classroom and teach, the Train the Teacher program allows school teachers to incorporate nutrition and physical activity into their classroom at a time that is convenient for them. List of available curricula below.

Harvest of the Month (HOM)

A curriculum from NH Farm to School that features monthly lesson plans and activities. The goal in this curriculum is to promote locally grown produce while increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in children. Lesson topics: locally grown produce, trying new fruits and vegetables, physical activity.

  • Audience: grades 4-5
  • Cost: Free
  • Setting: In school
  • Provided by: Classroom Teacher
  • Contact: Laura Alimayu

Pick a Better SnackTM (PABS)

The goal of the Pick a Better SnackTM curriculum is to introduce students to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, teaching them about the importance of consumption for overall health. Lesson topics: locally grown produce, trying new fruits and vegetables, physical activity.

  • Audience: grades K-3
  • Cost: Free
  • Setting: In school
  • Provided by: Classroom Teacher
  • Contact: Laura Alimayu

We offer a variety of programming to help youth thrive in all areas of health. To view the offerings for Social Emotional Mindful Learning visit our Youth Programs web site page.


Host a Families Nutrition and Cooking Class

We offer in person and virtual nutrition and cooking classes for eligible schools, families and adults


Eligible Schools

Eligible schools include Headstart, 21st Century Afterschool, schools receiving Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and schools with 50% or greater students receiving USDA meals. Not sure if your school qualifies, reach out to Laura Alimayu at laura.alimayu@unh.edu


 

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Details About Our Programs

Nutrition Connections works with youth to develop into healthy adults by teaching them to make healthy choices and be more physically active. Trained staff provide up-to-date information and share it through hands-on learning activities.

In FY2017 we reached more than 5,300 youth throughout the state with our nutrition lessons. We work with schools and other youth groups that have the highest percentage of youth eligible for free and reduced price meals.

Our lessons teach the importance of:

Making smart choices from every food group.

Making physical activity a part of daily life.

Practicing food safety as it relates to food handling.

The lessons also support and encourage eating breakfast. Children have the opportunity to taste new foods.

Here’s what children say about the program:

"I never would have tried this if I hadn’t made it."

"This tastes better than it looks."

"I didn’t think I’d like stuff, but it’s pretty good. Can I take some home for my mom to try?"

"If I just saw this on the table I would never have eaten it."

Nutrition Connections provides nutrition education at no cost to low-income families with children and seniors. We reach people through group or individual meetings. Adults with children and seniors who receive food stamps, WIC, CSFP, TANF, or SSI automatically qualify.

We motivate and empower you and your family to:

  • Save money at the grocery store
  • Plan and cook quick, tasty and low-cost meals
  • Eat healthier
  • Prevent foodborne illness
  • Understand food labels
  • Make physical activity a part of everyday

Here’s what adult participants say about the program:

"I have prepared a snack cabinet and a refrigerator drawer for healthy items."

"The program saved me $25 on one trip to the grocery store because I used the store flyer and didn’t give into impulse buying."

"I didn’t realize homemade food was cheaper than prepared food."

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Weekend workshops by Extension specialist Jonathan Ebba yield hands-on training for community members and a finished hoop house for students
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The Create Better Health (SNAP-Ed) Online Course is a free 8-lesson course that will help you learn how to eat well and be active on a budget! The cou... Learn More
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Our classic nutrition and cooking class is going virtual!

Join us for a free healthy living series that focuses on the basics of nutrit... Learn More
Make the most of your money, save ahead, plan ahead and stretch your food dollars with this interactive online class.

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Volunteers from any organization needing COVID-19 safety training for outdoor work may complete this 12:46-minute training module to receive a Certifi... Learn More


Eating healthy can be challenging. Maybe you are on a tight budget or you just want a quick meal.

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Trivia Question: Food Group IQ

Test your food group IQ! Are you eating all five food groups every day? 

Take a picture o... Learn More
Helping People Connect with the Resources They Need

As the state addresses the COVID-19 public health crisis, many have come together t... Learn More
Overweight and obesity have greatly increased during recent decades. Contributing factors include physical inactivity, excessive food consumption, and... Learn More
Want to know what's in season?
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Want to get to know your local Farmer? Here is a way to get to know your farmers by asking them a few simple questions- just print off the 10 Question... Learn More
Bring the children along for some additional fun by printing off the Farmers' Market Scavenger Hunt

Farmers Market Scavenger Hunt!... Learn More
Use this shopping list to purchase items to make the recipes collected in our Simple Meal Planner.
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Use these recipes as part of our Low-Cost Menu Planner. Need to buy ingredients? Be sure to check out our Simple Meal Plan Shopping List before you go... Learn More
This is a sample meal plan for a week based on 2,000 calories each day. Recipes for a number of the dishes are included. Averaged over a week, this pl... Learn More
Nutrition Connections teaches families how to eat healthy and save money.

We are a research-based program that works with your organiz... Learn More