FoodWIse
Youth Programming
FoodWIse works with qualifying schools and groups of youth in Racine & Kenosha Counties, where more than 50% of students qualify for free or reduced-price school lunch. To learn more about bringing a youth program to your organization, reach out to jill.herz@wisc.edu.
Programs for Older Youth
Teen Cuisine
Teens learn important life skills for optimal health, such as creating a balanced meal based on MyPlate, preparing recipes, handling food/knives safely, and making food and beverage choices by reading nutrition facts labels. Teen participants prepare and taste a healthy recipe at each lesson. This 6-lesson series is available in English or Spanish and is offered in group settings at various community sites.
Around the Table
Teens enjoy hands-on cooking, conversation, and interactive activities that support healthy connections to food, self, and community. This trauma-informed curriculum helps teens learn mindfulness skills and practice mindful eating tips. Participants improve cooking and food resource management skills by preparing a healthy recipe together at each lesson. This 6- lesson series is available in English or Spanish and is offered in group settings at various community sites.
Small Bites
Middle school youth learn about nutrition and healthy eating through hands-on nutrition activities and knife-free cooking. In every lesson, students prepare a healthy snack using recipes that meet the USDA Guidelines and learn about nutrition concepts and food prep skills. This 6-8 lesson series can be offered in-school or after-school.
Programs for Younger Youth
Show Me Nutrition
Students in grades 1, 2, and 5 learn more about the MyPlate food graphic and how to eat a variety of foods from the 5 food groups each day. Through age- appropriate interactive activities and games, kids learn about nutrients their body needs to stay healthy and the best ways to ensure their bodies get those healthy nutrients through foods. Students also learn about the importance of staying physically active. Kids have an opportunity to try new foods at each lesson, such as fruit & veggie taste tests and easy, healthy snacks they can make with their families at home. These 5-8 lesson series are offered during the school day.
Choose Health, Fun, Food, and Fitness
Kids learn about healthy eating and active play! Youth in grades 3-5 participate in interactive activities and active games to help them learn about eating more vegetables and fruits, replacing sweetened drinks with water and low-fat milk, eating more whole grains, and playing actively every day. Kids try a healthy food sample at each lesson. This 6-8 lesson series is offered as an afterschool or summer program.