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OUR VISION

Kids In Nutrition is designed to improve knowledge of nutrition and food sustainability to inspire food preference change in elementary kids. Our approach organizes university students to promote behavior change in dietary habits through a three-pillared intervention: education, food access, and family engagement. Given that children develop habits by age nine, KIN teaches kids about optimal nutrition and sustainability practices during their formative adolescent years. Early food literacy education has a tremendous downstream effect on carrying healthy and sustainable dietary habits into adulthood, thus building a foundation for chronic disease prevention, health equity, and environmental impact awareness. 

Each pillar operates in unison to empower children and families from all socioeconomic backgrounds to make informed decisions and take control of their wellbeing.

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EDUCATION
FOOD
ACCESS
FAMILY
ENGAGEMENT
BEHAVIOR CHANGE
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EDUCATION

American students spanning kindergarten through twelfth grade receive less than eight hours of required nutrition education each year, far below the forty hours needed to affect behavior change. Additionally, Type 2 diabetes and obesity are becoming increasingly prevalent in children, teens, and young adults, further validating the importance of early intervention. Furthermore, only 29% of Americans are informed about how food choice impacts the environment.

In response to these educational deficiencies, KIN’s first- and second-grade nutrition curriculum provides a foundation for nutrition and healthful dietary change, while the fifth-grade food sustainability curriculum educates about the link between our food system and environmental health. Teams of five university volunteer instructors visit local elementary classrooms (in-person or virtually) to teach once a week for seven weeks. Lessons are evidence-based and include interactive visuals, hands-on games, physical activity, and group work. Our university-to-elementary student mentorship exerts a powerful influence on behavior change by making nutrition and food sustainability topics relevant and engaging. This student-run model is an innovative, cost-effective, replicable, and sustainable strategy for maintaining program continuity and shaping youth dietary habits. 
Our goal is to operate at every major university in the United States and have a lasting impact on public and environmental health outcomes.

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Annual Impact Reports

Starting in 2021, Kids In Nutrition will be providing downloadable annual impact reports available to the public. 

Joy of Harvest
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