Education Activities

How can parents and guardians help their children get healthy food when they are not in school?
USDA’s Team Nutrition has many resources to help parents and caregivers serve healthy food and teach children
about eating healthy.

• Meet MyPlate introduces families to the MyPlate icon and includes a MyPlate menu planner. [Spanish Version]
• Snack Time! provides information about choosing snack foods and beverages with less solid fat, added sugars, and sodium (salt). Children can count family members' favorite ways to drink water. [Spanish Version]
• Be Your Best With Breakfast encourages families to eat breakfast and to check out the School Breakfast Program at their school (if available). A fun breakfast tracker and badge are included. [Spanish Version]
• Welcome to School Lunch! shares information about how school meals have gotten healthier and includes an activity for children to sort lunch foods into the five food groups. It also includes a “Color Adventure” challenge where families taste-test new fruits and vegetables of different colors. [Spanish Version]
• Move, Play, Have Fun! offers a table of fun physical activities that families can cross off as they complete them. [Spanish Version]

For other resources and food assistance programs, reach out to USDA’s National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (for English) or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (for Spanish). To find free summer meals for kids near you, visit USDA’s Find Meals for Kids site. In most states, you can also call 211 for help and services.