The Big Day
SPECIAL EVENTS
Getting Started
Food is often the centre of school meetings and events, but do the food and beverages offered show a commitment to eating well? Is food even necessary? Serving tasty and nutritious food and beverages at meetings and events (when necessary) is a great way to ‘walk the talk’. Earn this badge by improving the menu at your meeting(s) or event(s) or opting not to include food.
Steps To Earn This Badge
Step 1 - Ask the Students
Talk to students about the meetings and special events that happen at school. Find out what they think about the food and beverages offered. Is it necessary to offer food and beverages? Could the choices be improved?
Step 2 - Start a Conversation
Find out what types of food and beverages have been offered in the past for meetings and special events and who makes the decisions about them. Talk to people who attend the events as well as those who help plan the events. Make the case for making improvements using the Helpful Links and tools for this badge.
Step 3 - Do a Nutrition Checkup
If you decide that food is necessary at meetings and events, use the Tips for Special Events (see Tools) to make the menu more nutritious (e.g. serve fruit and/or veggies at all events) and the eating experience more enjoyable. These tips must be followed to earn this badge!
Step 4 - Make it Fun
Now that you have improved the menu for your meeting(s) and/or event(s), it’s time to have some fun! Choose at least one of the activities below to get everyone excited about your new and improved meetings and special events, or come up with your own fun idea.
Badge Inspiration
- Innovative and inspirational ideas submitted from schools across the province!
- Ask for student volunteers to talk about your commitment to nutrition (e.g. during morning announcements)
- Incorporate stretch breaks or other physical activities. For example, for outdoor events, do picnic games like 3-legged races, potato sack races and wheelbarrow races. Get parents participating too – remember, parents and school staff are powerful role models!
- Create a smoothie bar for a fun alternative drink: blend frozen fruit, bananas, yogurt and milk into a variety of different flavoured nutritious drinks. Try mango-banana, strawberry-peach or mixed berry – so many options!
- Make and serve flavoured water by infusing tap water with different fruits or vegetables. Watermelon and mint, cucumber and melon or just classic lemon water all add interest to your water jug. For a fizzy twist, add a splash of sparkling water too. Try the yummy SipSmart!™ Ontario Flavoured Water Recipes.
