Braintree Public Schools strives to create an environment that will provide all students with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to achieve an active lifestyle. Their district wellness policy provides more information on their wellness objectives.  Braintree Public Schools focuses on providing quality food and nutrition to all students during school and in after-school programs. Nutrition education is also a part of the school nutrition program at Braintree.  

On April 11, 2022, Framingham State University student dietitian, Raissa Lages, spent time with 6th grade students at Braintree Middle School. She talked about added sugars in different popular beverages. Students learned how to best manage the consumption of added sugar in drinks and meals. Through various activities, students tested their knowledge of how to calculate the amount of added sugar present in drinks, and how to find added sugar that may be hidden in foods. Students also learned about how sugar consumption adds up throughout the week. They were surprised to see how much sugar can actually be in one drink, and how high consumption of these foods and drinks can affect their health. After the lesson, students were able to be more aware about the types of drinks that they are consuming on a daily basis.  

To explore different resources that can be used as nutrition lessons in the classroom, please visit the SWITCH resource center.    

Submitted by: Raissa Lages, FSU Food and Nutrition Graduate Student in the Coordinated Program in Dietetics.