Milford Public Schools is dedicated to providing their middle school students with nutrition education and knowledge to help form lifelong healthy lifestyles. Their support and interest in providing students with the nutrition knowledge to make informed decisions about their health has allowed Milford Public Schools to create a community dedicated to the overall well-being of their students. To further promote the Milford Public School’s Wellness policy,  the school has

partnered with Framingham State University and their Coordinated Program in Dietetics to provide appropriate nutrition education to their students.

Milford Public Schools welcomed student dietitian Jennifer Mansir to Stacy Middle School. Jennifer Mansir worked with sixth graders to discuss sources of protein, how protein fuels your body, and why it is important. For students, learning about protein and where it comes from is key to promoting a lifelong healthy lifestyle and diet. During the presentation, students actively participated by writing sources of protein on the white board, and later discussing how protein is found in an array of foods. Students were shocked to hear that some grains, beans, and lentils can contain a significant amount of protein. By the end of the lesson, students were able to provide a reason why protein is important for the body, list multiple sources of protein, and identify the sources of protein in their favorite foods!

Jennifer has helped to implement the Milford Public School’s Wellness Policy by teaching age appropriate content regarding healthy choices. There are a variety of resources for lesson plans available to students and educators at The John C. Stalker Institute of Food and Nutrition resource center.

Submitted by: Jennifer Mansir FSU Graduate Food and Nutrition Student, Coordinated Program in Dietetics.