Healthy Eating Habits and Food Literacy

Living a healthy lifestyle includes good nutrition, plenty of exercise, and a positive mindset. It is normal to feel unmotivated or confused on where to begin this journey but there is plenty of information and resources (often free!) which can help guide you through. Not only are these resources created for youth and adults but they also target children and the entire family dynamic,

From learning about food choices and marketing tactics, these resources will help guide parents and guardians guide children, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, to make positive food and health choices. Being inundated with advertisements and constrained in one setting can be difficult for everyone. This is why it is especially important to look at the media, information and food we are consuming. 

Food for Thoughts - Improving Food Literacy

Food for Thoughts - Improving Food Literacy is a free online resource that integrates literacy, media literacy and healthy eating. This online program equips students with the skills they need to make healthy food choices in different settings. Food for Thoughts - Improving Food Literacy is provided through The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Health and Physical Education (2019) and The Ontario Curriculum, Grade 1–8: Language (2006). Here are some activties from this online program. Feel free to practice these at home together as a family or with your children!

Activities for Primary students

• Would You Choose Me: An activity designed for young children to explore and express their thoughts about product packaging and how it may influence their food or beverage choice.
• What's on the Menu: During this activity, students explore the ideas and perceptions of "kid" and adult foods and menus.
• What's in the Food We Choose: This is a large-group discussion where students can break down the differences they spot between highly processed and minimally processed foods.

Activities for Junior students:

• Convince Me: Students pick and choose different packaged and unpackages foods and discuss how food claims like "organic," or "fat free" can influence customers.
• A tour of the Grocery Store: In this hands on activity, students use store flyers or a virtual shopping trip to recognize different food advertising techniques.
• Viewing with a Critical Eyes: Students observe television, newspapers, radio and social media to understand sales and marketing tactics of selling foods.

• Truth or Lie: Students imagine they are consultants of a food advertising agency and work with others to create youth profiles to understand interests and preferences.
• Like This Post, Leave a Comment Below: In this activity social media food ads are closely scrutinized.

Building Healthy Eating Habits and Food Literacy Skills with the H&PE Curriculum Webinar Blog

As part of the Health & Physical Education Curricula (H&PE Curricula) this webinar and blog features discussions with co-presenters who share knowledge, skills, and strategies that support healthy eating habits,

Check out the latest webinar here: