NutritionHub
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Search Recipes by Ingredient
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch & Dinner
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • 5 Ingredients or Less
    • Home Delivery Box Meal Ideas
  • Nutrition Info
    • Cooking Skills
    • General Nutrition Topics
    • Global Languages >
      • Handouts in Spanish
      • Handouts in Chinese
      • Handouts in Other Languages
    • Health Topics
    • Kids
    • Older Adults
    • Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
    • Produce Picks
  • Summer Nutrition Club
    • Lesson 1
    • Lesson 2
    • Lesson 3
    • Site Coordinator Portal
    • SNC 2021 Lessons
    • SNC 2020 Lessons
  • Healthy Pantry
    • Nudges Overview
    • Training Resources
    • Sample Materials
    • Nutrition Policy
  • Blog
  • Videos
  • Español
    • Recetas
    • Hojas Informativas
    • Otros Recursos
  • About

Spotlight on Nutrition Blog

Reflections from Summer Nutrition Club

8/1/2021

0 Comments

 
Hello! My name is Emily Korte and I am Gleaners’ 2021 Summer Nutrition Intern. Over the past few months, I have worked with Sarah Wilson, RDN to create and facilitate kids' nutrition education lessons for our Summer Nutrition Club (SNC) program. SNC was created in 2018 as a supplement to Gleaners' summer feeding program in Marion County. In addition to providing nutritious food to local families, we wanted to offer an interactive nutrition education opportunity to get youth excited about the impact food can have on their health and wellbeing.

​COVID-19 has continued to impact every aspect of Gleaners’ operations and SNC was no exception. To ensure the safety of our community, virtual and in-person lessons were offered to our partners. We were very fortunate that three sites welcomed us back in-person (while wearing masks and being socially distanced of course), and a fourth virtually. It was wonderful to once again hear all the giggles, watch faces fill with joy, and share a passion for learning in-person together. I am very grateful for this amazing experience and am looking forward to becoming a Registered Dietitian in the future!
Picture
Emily Korte, Summer Nutrition Intern, with Rainforest Energy Bites. 
In the past, the SNC lessons focused on the five food groups of MyPlate, making healthy choices, and general health and wellness. This year’s lessons followed the same model while also incorporating new themes to encourage exploration. All of the recipes required no baking, contained simple ingredients, and featured kid-friendly cooking concepts to allow for their participation. These themes were brought to life through fun and engaging activities in each of the three weekly lessons. 

In a world where we are so often told "no", we were able to tell the children "YES". Yes, you can try a new food! Yes, you make your own snack! Yes, you can sometimes have sweet treats! I wanted the children to be open to learning about new cultures, new ideas, and new foods. I wanted them to be able to experience Asia, the Amazon rainforest, and space, all without even leaving Indianapolis.  My goal was for participants to gain independence, confidence, and knowledge about how they can positively impact their health. This summer, all of this and more was accomplished at Summer Nutrition Club!

The recipes, learning concepts, and themes that were covered in this year's program included:

1. MyPlate Around the World - Introduced foods found across Asia and where they fit in MyPlate, featured a highlight on how to use chopsticks, and made Cucumber "Sushi" Roll-Ups
Picture
Picture
SNC "Nutrition Explorers" try eating their Cucumber Roll-Ups with chopsticks

​2. It’s a Jungle Out There! - Introduced different sources of protein foods and whole grains, explored animals and the layers of the Amazon rainforest, and tried Rainforest Energy Bites
Picture
Picture
SNC participants roll their Rainforest Energy Bites into fun (and tasty) shapes

​3. Discover Dairy - Introduced dairy foods and how scientists modify food so it can be eaten in space, featured an activity to promote physical activity, and made Astronaut Pudding
Picture
Picture
The SNC "Nutrition Explorers" thought the Astronaut Pudding was out of this world!

Each child that participated in SNC got to take home a reusable shopping bag filled with tools to help them continue being a "nutrition explorer". Items in the bag included a spatula, vegetable peeler, cutting board, colander, reusable storage bag, MyPlate, and more! The summer came to a close with a Family Cooking Night. Westminster Neighborhood Services welcomed us back to demonstrate how to prepare a meal that the whole family could enjoy. The featured recipes were  Veggie Quesadillas and Chunky Mango Pico. This meal supplies a serving of all five food groups and is quick, easy, and affordable to prepare. I demonstrated how to cut all fruits and vegetables including mango, zucchini, pepper, onion, jalapeno, and cucumber. I also provided general cooking tips. Westminster provided ingredients to each family in attendance so they could make the recipes at home. Gleaners supplemented these items with fresh produce and kitchen utensils for each household, as well as a few raffle prizes to give away!
Picture
Picture
Emily prepares samples for Family Cooking Night

​The summer of 2021 certainly brought a unique set of challenges.  However, due to assistance from Gleaners’ staff, my wildest dreams were able to come to life to make Summer Nutrition Club a success. I learned more from the children this summer than any nutrition textbook could teach me. I am forever grateful for this opportunity and hope my small input can make a larger impact on the health and wellbeing of this community!

Gleaners’ 2020 and 2021 SNC lesson content is available year-round on the Summer Nutrition Club page for anyone interested - feel free to check it out and share with others!
Picture
Thank you to all the wonderful community sites who hosted us for Summer Nutrition Club this year!
0 Comments
    Picture

    Author

    Sarah Wilson, RDN, Nutrition Manager at Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, along with guest blog posts by dietetic interns

    Archives

    February 2023
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020

    Categories

    All
    Budget
    Cooking
    Diabetes
    Diversity/Inclusion
    Food Safety
    Fruits & Veggies
    Healthy Pantry
    Heart Health
    Kids
    MyPlate
    Nutrients
    Nutrition Education
    Wellness

    RSS Feed

SNAP Outreach
Gleaners SNAP Outreach Specialists are available to provide FREE application assistance. All calls are completely confidential and live interpreters are available. Call 317-644-1280.

​Other Resources and Services
Visit FindHelp.org to find food resources, financial assistance, medical care and many other helpful services near you!
Follow us on social media!

​
​Gleaners NutritionHub est. 2020
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Search Recipes by Ingredient
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch & Dinner
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • 5 Ingredients or Less
    • Home Delivery Box Meal Ideas
  • Nutrition Info
    • Cooking Skills
    • General Nutrition Topics
    • Global Languages >
      • Handouts in Spanish
      • Handouts in Chinese
      • Handouts in Other Languages
    • Health Topics
    • Kids
    • Older Adults
    • Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
    • Produce Picks
  • Summer Nutrition Club
    • Lesson 1
    • Lesson 2
    • Lesson 3
    • Site Coordinator Portal
    • SNC 2021 Lessons
    • SNC 2020 Lessons
  • Healthy Pantry
    • Nudges Overview
    • Training Resources
    • Sample Materials
    • Nutrition Policy
  • Blog
  • Videos
  • Español
    • Recetas
    • Hojas Informativas
    • Otros Recursos
  • About