This month Bernalillo County ICAN Nutrition Educators are at various school sites throughout Albuquerque teaching students about healthy snacks.

Nutrition Educator Adriana taught first grade students about whole grains and the students filled up food service gloves with popcorn and chile. It was surprising that the children wanted more chile to add to their popcorn, definitely from New Mexico!

Did you know that popcorn is a whole grain?

It has all the elements of the entire grain and it includes all the healthy elements of the grain such as the bran and the germ, great sources of nutrients and fiber. And you can add so many herbs and spices to make it taste great! Try adding to salad instead of croutons for a nice crunch!

Whole Grain Diagram

Make half your grains whole

Ideas for the Classroom

Interested in turning that garden into a nutritious and delicious experience for youth at your school? During winter months, it is a great time to plan out garden and activities that will compliment garden. NMSU Bernalillo County Extension Service can help through their Ideas for Cooking and Nutrition (ICAN) Program. It is a free, fun educational experience that applies education standard benchmarks in a hands-on instruction technique by cooking and preparing fruits and vegetables into something healthy. Students not only learn more about how food is grown and reaches their plates, but ICAN helps youth learn skills to prepare healthy snacks and add physical activity to their day.

ICAN works with all youth who are at schools that have 50% or more students eligible for the Free and Reduced Price Lunch Program. Aside from gardening, topics include, health media literacy, nutrition for a growing body, body image, hygiene and food safety, and physical activity.

Let us know that you are interested and we can begin programming at your school. Contact Gabriel Gomez, ICAN Office, NMSU Albuquerque Center, CNM Montoya Campus, at 505-889-9896 or magomez@nmsu.edu.