Healthy Eating
in Hartford
Elaina Rollins
Katie Barlok
INTRODUCTION TO THE CURRICULUM
WHO? Fifth grade classroom in a Hartford
public school with students who are
predominantly lower class and students
of color.
WHY?
• Experience in school placements
• Hartford is a food desert
FOOD INSECURIT Y IN HARTFORD
FOOD DESERT: An urban neighborhood or rural town
without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable
food.
 33% of Hartford citizens live in poverty.
 Nutritional foods cost about $27/1000 calories,
while saturated fat foods cost about $3/1000
calories
 Latino children in Hartford report eating nearly 7
servings of sweets a day and only 3 servings of fruits
and vegetables.
SOURCE: Hartford Food System, Livestrong
OBJECTIVES
• Students will learn about short-term and longterm effects of healthy eating.
• Students will analyze the influence of media
on food choices.
• Students will assess food price injustice in
their own community.
• Students will learn to value and utilize the
benefits of community gardens.
• Students will advocate for personal and school
community health.
OVERVIEW OF THE WEEK
MONDAY
WEDNESDAY
• Daily Food Journals
• Healthy snack tasting
• Healthy eating worksheet
THURSDAY
TUESDAY
• Junk food advertisement
discussion
• Creation of a healthy food
advertisement
• Shopping on a budget
activity
• Field trip to Trinfo Café
Garden
FRIDAY
• Reflection on daily lunch
journals
• Discussion of nutritional
problems within the school
• Letter to school principal
about ideas for change
TUESDAY
OBJECTIVE: Students will analyze the influence
of media on food choices.
FINAL ASSESSMENT
The final assessment will focus on each
student’s letter to the school principal and
how well their letter incorporates:
• Observations of school lunches
• Facts from the healthy eating worksheet
• Food price injustice knowledge
• Community garden knowledge