?Pick a Better Snack? program held at Kalona Elementary

Healthy fruit and vegetable snacks have invaded Kalona Elementary first-and second-grade classrooms through the Pick a Better Snack program offered by Washington County Extension.

This program is designed to motivate children to eat more fruits and vegetables in meals and snacks and to be more physically active. Amy Green, 4-H/youth coordinator, visits the first-and second-grade classrooms to talk about healthy snacks, making healthy choices, and they always get to sample a particular fruit or vegetable of the day.

Each week the students are reminded to be brave and try new things ? including healthy fruits and vegetables. This past week students learned that vegetables are plants; and when eating a vegetable a person is eating either the root, stem or leaf of a plant. They enjoyed a root snack of baked sweet potato slices. They learned the importance of eating a variety of colors when selecting fruits and vegetables. Each student received a rainbow-colored wrist band as a reminder.