Ms. Shana Leith
FoodWIse Program Administrator, UW-Madison Division of Extension
January 2023 - Student Health and Well-being
UW-Madison’s Division of Extension FoodWIse program has been fortunate to partner with the School
District of Beloit for many years to provide nutrition education. We love spending time with students and
introducing them to foods they may not have tried before, reinforcing the importance of breakfast, or even
increasing their knowledge about healthy eating habits. All of these have an impact on student health,
well-being, and academic success.
Sharing Nutritional Education with Students: Fun and Engaging
This year, we are providing a 6-week nutrition series in many 1st, 3rd, and 5th grade classrooms where
students learn about eating a variety of foods from MyPlate, label reading, the importance of breakfast,
physical activity, and hand washing. Students also receive a taste of foods they learned about during the
lesson. The goal of the series is to increase students’ willingness to try new foods and promote healthy
habits in school and at home.
Comments from parents and teachers about FoodWIse nutrition lessons:
“Thanks for sharing healthy habits with students! I was surprised my daughter liked the radish!”
“Since having the nutrition lessons, kids are more open to trying new foods!”
“My child has talked about all the foods tried in class and how it’s good to try things even if you
don’t think you will like them.”
Highlighting Harvest of the Month: Taste, Explore, and Learn
In addition to our nutrition lessons, FoodWIse is collaborating with Aramark and (again) the School
District of Beloit to launch our Harvest of the Month program. Wisconsin Harvest of the Month is a
statewide campaign that empowers students to eat more fruits and vegetables.
Each month, Aramark will showcase one seasonal, Wisconsin-grown fruit or vegetable in school meals
and encourage students to taste, explore, and learn about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables.
Research shows the benefits of Harvest of the Month include:
Encouraging students to try new fruits and vegetables
Increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables students eat
Reducing food waste
Growing school meal participation
Supporting Wisconsin farmers and the local economy
Learn More About FoodWIse:
FoodWIse staff also provides adult nutrition education with many community partners around Rock
County. To learn more about Rock County FoodWIse, visit our website or Facebook page.
