Success Story

Nutrition Education and Literacy Project

Problem:
Many parents are unaware of food guidance recommendations for eating a variety of foods as they plan meals for their families. Families who seldom share meals together are unaware of the many benefits derived from family mealtime together. Schools recognize the need to improve reading scores of elementary children.

Response:
Book bags with a child’s book and activities for parents and children to do together can be used to teach nutrition concepts and provide time together for parents and children. To promote family mealtime together and to teach understanding of the food guide pyramid, bookbags with books and related activities were developed and written in English and Spanish for use in schools with a high percentage of Latinos. In Louisa County, the Columbus Junction and Wapello school districts have more than 50% of their students from Latino families. A BASICS (nutrition education) grant was secured to translate nutrition book bags into English and Spanish to loan to families with elementary age children.

Impact:
Intended action: Three-fourths (76%) of families who used the book bags and completed the survey said they now plan to use the food guide pyramid more often to choose foods for meals and snacks. Of the 31 families who completed the survey for the family mealtime book bag, 84% plan to eat more meals together when most family members are home.

Actions taken: Eighty-four percent of all the families listened while their child read the book to them. Book bags as a means of involving parents and children in reading and in learning about nutrition have been effective.

Twenty-two families (77% of those completing the survey) tried an activity from Share a Meal Activities for the whole family on family mealtime. These families commented on what they did as a family:

Those reading the Go, Glow, Grow book on the food guide pyramid were asked what ideas from the book bag they tried as a family. Their responses included: