SHIP stories
The Statewide Health Improvement Program
(SHIP) works to improve health through better
nutrition and increased physical activity in child
care settings. As of June 2012:
• Over 3500 children have better access to
fruits and vegetables in Anoka/Washington
County after teachers and child care
providers participated in Learning About
Nutrition through Activities (LANA) training.
“Hey, I know… that’s a broccoli!”
“Hey, I know… that’s a broccoli!” exclaimed an Anoka/
Washington County Head Start youngster.
Considering that French fries are the most common
type of vegetable children eat, epiphanies like this
have become rare. However, at Anoka/Washington
County Head Start programs, healthy foods awareness
is becoming more of an everyday occurrence.
Through the assistance of Statewide Health
Improvement Program (SHIP), in the spring of 2012
nearly 400 children learned not only what broccoli is
but were also introduced to new fruits and veggies.
SHIP initiated a partnership with Anoka/Washington
County Head Start preschool programs to implement
the research-based Learning About Nutrition through
Activities (LANA) nutrition curriculum. As a child and
family development program for income-eligible
households, Head Start preschool programs focus on a
three to five year old child’s development.
The LANA nutrition curriculum, along with the puppet
Lana the Iguana, helped Head Start educators get
their youngsters to try a new food at least five times.
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/oshii
“The kids’ reactions were all over the board as to
whether or not they like particular fruits or veggies.
But we always encouraged them to give it a try…and
sometimes we’d hear, ‘oh this really isn’t that bad!’”
chuckled Linda. “However, the strawberries were
always a big hit – one of the kids exclaimed, ‘Lana the
Iguana would love these strawberries!’”
This integration between Anoka/Washington County
Head Start preschool programs and LANA has
increased consumption of fruits and vegetables among
low-income, high-risk children and their families. LANA
was also incorporated into five school district preschool
programs in Anoka County and YMCA summer
programs at three sites, impacting over 3500 children.
***
SHIP is working to make the healthy choice the easy
choice in Minnesota. Find out how at
www.health.state.mn.us/ship