Anna Jaques Hospital recently created and delivered a comprehensive “Farm to Table” nutritional curriculum for Newburyport preschools and daycare centers.
The Anna Jaques Just Right Kids program was created thanks to a generous grant from the Charles and Marianne Small Foundation. The program teaches portion control and healthy eating to children age 5 and younger. The Just Right Kids turnkey program includes written curriculum and hands-on teaching tools for teachers, play-and-learn pieces for students, and education materials for parents. Some of the teaching modules include, “How does food travel from nature to your belly?” “What on earth is a legume?” and “Wheat Wednesday!” The children are encouraged to eat a rainbow of nutritional foods every day.
Just Right Kids was a big hit among the city’s littlest students, who now eagerly check their lunches for a rainbow of healthy foods.
Here are some of the fun responses from a Just Right Kids circle time:
- “I know what that is! It’s a guacamole!” (pointing to an avocado).
- “It’s green jello!” (talking about a green pepper).
- “Carrots grow on trees!” “No, they don’t. Bunnies can’t reach them in trees.”
