This page includes basic messaging designed for use by school administrators to promote the topic of mental health among students, parents, and the general school community. Included are:
- Newsletter inserts
- Social media messages
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your Healthy Schools contact at HPEPH.
| Newsletter Inserts | Audience |
|---|---|
| Nurturing Healthy Eating Habits Healthy eating gives kids the nutrition they need to learn, play, and grow. When kids develop healthy eating habits early in life, they are also more likely to eat well as adults. As a parent or caregiver, you can help nurture healthy eating habits! Offer a variety of foods from Canada’s Food Guide without pressure and model healthy habits for your kids. Healthy eating is more than food. It includes how kids learn to eat and their relationship with eating and food. Model Healthy Eating Behaviours • Offer regular meals and snacks and when possible, eat together as a family. This lets adults role model healthy eating habits and social skills. • Eat without screens to reduce distractions and help kids focus on their food. • Don’t use food as a reward or a punishment. Be Positive about Food and Eating • Teach your child to enjoy food and trust their body to know how much to eat. This is important even if they are bigger or smaller than other kids. • Talk positively about food and avoid labelling foods as good or bad. Food does not have a moral value. Help your child learn to explore food. Garden, grocery shop, or cook meals together. Promote Positive Body Image • Remind your child that all bodies are different, and that healthy bodies come in many shapes and sizes. • Promote eating to feel good and have energy, rather than to look a certain way. • Talk to your child about the influence of media on body image and remind them that there is no one perfect or ideal body type. Adapted from Brightbites.ca, Nurturing Healthy Eaters in Elementary and Secondary Schools. | Elementary and Secondary Parents |
| Discover what Healthy Eating Means for You Did you know there is no one “right” way to eat? Your likes, needs, and schedule can all influence what healthy eating looks like. Healthy eating means eating in a way that works for you and makes your mind and body feel good. This includes eating a variety of foods that make you satisfied, positive, and relaxed. Here are some tips to help you find what healthy eating means for you: Be flexible: All foods can fit into a pattern of healthy eating. Try to be flexible, positive, and relaxed about eating. There are no “good” or “bad” foods. Don’t follow food rules that make you feel shame or guilt for eating. Eat foods you like: Eating should be enjoyable! Plan meals and snacks around your favourites and add in in other foods that help keep you full and give you the energy you need. Eating foods that you don’t like because they’re “good for you” or they’re trending takes the fun out of eating. Plan regular meals and snacks: There is no “right” or “wrong” time to eat. Meals and snacks should keep you satisfied and fuel your day. What works for you can look different from day to day as your needs and schedule change. Try to sit down for meals and snacks and when possible. Listen to your body: Tune into your body’s hunger and fullness cues to guide how much you eat. It’s normal to eat different amounts from meal to meal and day to day. We may not always be able to listen to our bodies and this is okay. | Secondary Students |
| Helping your teen develop a healthy relationship with food and their body The teen and early adult years are a time of development. Eating is important for youth to fuel their minds and bodies. Many teens feel pressure to change the way they eat in order to be like celebrities, influencers, or friends. As a parent or caregiver, you can help your teen develop healthy relationships with food and their bodies by: • Offering a variety of foods from Canada’s Food Guide without pressuring them to eat specific foods • Encouraging them to eat well to feel good and help their bodies grow • Focusing on their talents and qualities instead of appearance • Showing youth they can be healthy and active at any size • Letting them help with planning and making meals • Eating together as a family • Working together with children to cook meals that everyone enjoys • Reinforcing that there are no “good” or “bad” foods – foods may have different nutrition, but all foods fit into a healthy eating pattern • Role modeling being positive about your own body and other bodies • Teaching them to be critical about the messages they see in media, and that there is no one ideal body type For more ideas and information, visit https://bit.ly/3bhRibg | Secondary Parents |
| Social Media Messaging – Elementary | Audience |
|---|---|
| Eating well gives kids the energy and nutrition they need to learn, grow, and be active. Offer a variety of foods each day and make water the drink of choice so they stay hydrated. More from Canada’s Food Guide: https://bit.ly/3pA6CoK | Elementary Parents |
| DYK both parents and children play a role in developing a healthy relationship with food? Adults can decide what, where, and when food is offered. Trust children to decide whether and how much to eat. For more info, visit https://bit.ly/3asHLyR | Elementary Parents |
| DYK? Healthy eating is about more than food. How kids learn to eat is just as important. Role model healthy eating habits and make eating fun and positive for kids. For more tips, visit: https://bit.ly/3QSPmcB | Elementary Parents |
| Family meals can happen any time. If your evenings are busy, share breakfast or have brunch together on weekends. Check out the following tips for making the most of family meals: https://bit.ly/2TNzvBy | Elementary Parents |
| DYK? It can take 10 tries or more for kids to learn to like new foods. Keep offering new foods in different ways. Serve new foods with old favourites, and eat with your child so they see you eating foods you want them to try. More tips: https://bit.ly/3kiPAcP | Elementary Parents |
| Cooking is a life skill that can help your child succeed in the classroom. Help them practice reading, math, and more by getting your child in the kitchen. For tips on getting started, visit: https://bit.ly/37u7gi2 | Elementary Parents |
| A positive body image and healthy self-esteem are important to children’s well-being. Teach your child to feel good about themselves and their bodies from an early age. Tips to promote a healthy body image: https://bit.ly/34id2Bq | Elementary Parents |
| Be a role model: Eat well and move your body to feel good instead of focusing on appearance. Be positive about food, physical activity, and your body to teach your child to do the same. #BodyPositive | Elementary Parents |
| Social Media Messaging – Secondary | Audience |
|---|---|
| Family meals are a chance to share traditions and talk with your teen about things that matter. Not sure where to start? Follow these tips to master meals step-by-step: https://bit.ly/2RQJMdo | Secondary Parents |
| Be a role model! Eat well and move your body to feel good instead of focusing on appearance. Be positive about food, physical activity, and your body, to teach your teen to do the same. #BodyPositive | Secondary Parents |
| DYK? Cooking is a life skill that can help your teen succeed in the classroom. Help them practice math, science, and more by getting them in the kitchen. Ideas to get started: https://bit.ly/2TgGKAt Adapted from Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit | Secondary Parents |
| A positive body image and healthy self-esteem are important for your teen’s well-being. Teach them to feel good about themselves and their bodies. Try these tips to promote healthy body image: https://bit.ly/34id2Bq | Secondary Parents |
| Healthy eating is about more than food – how you eat is just as important. Try eating without screens to help you focus on your food and how your body feels. Notice when you’re hungry and when you feel full. #MindfulEating | Secondary Students |
| EatingWell is about more than food. How you eat is just as important. Be flexible, eat foods you enjoy, plan for regular meals and snacks, and let your body guide how much to eat. | Secondary Students |
| DYK? There is no one “right” way to eat. #HealthyEating looks different for everyone, and what works for someone else may not work for you. Eat in a way that you enjoy and that makes you feel your best. | Secondary Students |
| DYK? Bodies are meant to be diverse and healthy bodies come in many different shapes and sizes. All bodies deserve care and respect, no matter what they look like. How can you take care of your body today? #BodyPositive | Secondary Students |
| DYK? Many cases of food poisoning come from food made at home. To keep food safe, follow the four steps to food safety – clean, separate, cook, and chill. For more info, visit: https://bit.ly/2HafyvW | Secondary Students/ Parents |
