Food Is Elementary Curriculum
Food Is Elementary (FIE) is a whole foods education program that addresses the urgent issues of childhood obesity and diabetes and promotes health and wellness for Pre-K, kindergarten, first and second graders. It gives vulnerable children a language to talk about healthful foods, teaches them how to identify these same foods and engages them in the preparation of whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
This 28-week whole food education program was adapted from Dr. Antonia Demas curriculum titled, 'Food is Elementary' (FIE). FIE is unique among healthy-food education programs for youth. Whereas a typical nutrition course might utilize an intellectual approach for following the USDA food pyramid and “eating your fruits and veggies” over four to six lessons, our program emphasizes the flavor, smell, texture, artistry, culture, and preparation of wholesome, healthful foods over a span of 28 weeks. During the one-hour weekly classroom sessions, Local Matters’ Food Educators (2 per team), teach children what it looks and tastes like to eat wholesome food.
The objective of the first 14 lessons is to acquaint children with the fundamentals of food preparation, safety, and hygiene; the USDA Food Pyramid; and the taste, aesthetics, and nutritive value of plant-based meals from around the world.
In the second semester, children participate in preparing one entrée per week from a different country while learning about its history and traditional accompaniments. Before they eat the dish they’ve created, the children identify its geographic origin on a map, listen and dance to music from that culture, and examine regional artifacts. This multi-cultural, multi-sensory approach has proven to promote dramatic dietary acceptance of diverse whole foods among young children—who have been known to surprise their parents by requesting healthful “everyday foods” at the grocery store!
A pre and post-test is conducted at the end of each academic year and our Food Educators report several outcomes that apply broadly within their classrooms:
Students understand the connection between the food they eat and their body's health
Students learn the importance of eating whole grains and greens and minimizing fats and sugars
Students gain a vocabulary with which to talk positively about food
Students can identify a food pyramid and situate foods on it
Students try new, healthy plant-based foods from 14 cultures
Students become acquainted with the skill of preparing healthful, whole foods
The cost of the Food is Elementary program is $4500.00 per class /$180.00 per child per year. Each class averages about 25 children. Given that the average cost to treat obesity and diabetes related chronic diseases averages $20,000.00 per person per year, our Food is Elementary program is a bargain!
Bring Food is Elementary to My School
Click here to see a copy of the curriculum
Amanda Seaton and Lauren Metcalf, at Clinton Elementary, a Columbus City School, during a Food is Elementary lesson on exercise, healthy foods and the heart
