After-school: Nutrition Explorations

[bridges to wellness]

Designed to "bridge the gap" and bring school nutrition professionals and classroom educators together to make nutrition learning come alive, Bridges to Wellness™ helps schools meet their wellness policy nutrition education goals. Bridges to Wellness™ offers free, online, hands-on nutrition lessons and activities for students in grades 5-10. Developed by National Dairy Council® and the School Nutrition Foundation, lessons address the 3-A-Day™ of Dairy Nutrient Package and the Dietary Guidelines Food Groups to Encourage.

Lesson Components Create the Link

Each Bridges to Wellness lesson includes three key components to reflect connections between classroom, cafeteria, and home:

Classroom instruction (gaining knowledge)
Application activity (demonstrating gained knowledge)
Cafeteria connections (putting knowledge into practice and changing behavior)

Communication Tips and Tools

Getting teachers and key stakeholder groups onboard to implement the Bridges to Wellness lessons is paramount to successful student learning. Review these key documents for strategic suggestions on planning, partnering with teachers, and communicating with key stakeholder groups.