Sharing Good Practice
STRATEGIES FOR MAXIMISING HEALTHY
CHOICES IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS
BY TOLU DARAMOLA
T
he more I eat healthy foods,
the better I feel and perform.
This is the intrinsic thinking we
want students in the Middle
East to foster in a world where Diabetes
and Child Obesity is growing in rapid
numbers. As teachers, educators and
school personnel, we are influencers
who can set the foundation for young
health conscious kids. It is important
that the school community maximises
the motivation of students making
healthy choices. Below are 5 ways to
maximise young students’ intrinsic
motivation to eat healthy foods.
1. Maximise the motivational context
of the school cafeteria and eating
areas. Post up signs that encourage
eating healthy. Place healthy recipe
books in the classroom library. Read
recipes in class and encourage
students to write their own recipes.
2. Maximise the opportunities for
students to engage in healthy tasty
treats. Purchase and Incorporate the
Tasty Treats Program throughout
Pre-K to 5th grade.
3. Maximise
opportunities
for
students to make choices about
what they eat. Providing choices
is an effective way to support the
development of intrinsic motivation.
Some strategies include teaching
students how to read a nutrition
label and demonstrations on what
the daily sugar intake physically
looks like. These lessons will engage
students and allow them to make
their own positive choices.
4. Maximise opportunities for students
to socially interact with others about
the healthy foods they are eating.
cooking club, where students, with
the guidance of adults prepare,
cook and eat simple and tasty meals
together.
Motivation increases when students
see their peers eating healthily. The
comments they make can pique
a student’s interest and curiosity.
Students’ observation of their peers
healthy choices may increase their
chance of tasting and making healthy
choices. The most important goal of
any early child nutrition programme is
to foster a love of healthy tasty treats.
This is important because once a child
knows how to make healthy choices,
they pick healthy options intrinsically.
Maximising motivation for health
education in early childhood can
help to prevent childhood obesity
and diabetes. If you are interested in
working together to implement some
of these strategies in your school,
please reach out to Tolu Daramola at
[email protected].
These social interactions include
communicating in ways such as;
i. writing their own healthy recipes or
reflecting on a recipe they tasted
ii. Group discussions and activities about
healthy foods
iii. Cooking and taste testing with others
iv. Sharing snacks with others
v. Sharing videos of themselves cooking
with others
5. Maximise students’ opportunities
to eat and make healthy recipes
that mirror what they might eat
at home. This helps students find
value and meaning in the healthy
foods, in their home environment.
Students become more involved
and motivated to eat healthy
options that are similar or the same
as the options at home. A strategy
would be to open an after-school
Tolu Daramola is an international educator with over 10 years’ experience both
in the USA and UAE. She is always enthusiastic, approachable, and focused
on doing what is best for students. She is passionate about health, fitness,
building authentic relationships, and traveling. You can follow her classroom on
all platforms @ToluTravelTeach.
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