Frisco ISD has partnered with Medical City Children’s Hospital to encourage
students to make better choices at snack time.

All 33 elementary schools, as well as Fowler Middle School, are asking students to eat a nutritious snack each day for 21 days, and to take a short five question survey after the challenge.

The effort, in collaboration with the Frisco ISD Council of PTAs Healthy Lifestyles Committee, kicks off the week of January 21-24.

“We need to be smarter about what we’re putting into our body,” Pink Elementary physical education teacher JT Mistr told a group of fifth graders. “You’ve got this stuff in your pantry and fridge.”

Students will receive a cookbook created by culinary arts and graphic design students at the FISD Career and Technical Education Center.

Each recipe contains at least one fruit or vegetable and meets specific requirements per serving including restrictions on calories, fat and sugar.

“Recent studies show that low intake of fruits and vegetables is directly related to childhood obesity,” said Medical City Children’s Hospital Outreach Program Manager Ryan Eason. “Our goal is to introduce healthy eating habits to children.”

This is the fourth year FISD has worked with Medical City, the Greater Dallas Restaurant Association and Texas Chefs Association to publish a cookbook as part of the kids teaching kids program.

Culinary arts students design the healthy snack recipes, which can all be created by kids without using the oven or sharp objects.

“At the grocery store, we’re bombarded with foods that are fast and easy. It’s the simple way out,” Mistr said. “This program is a good way for students to experiment and realize that eating healthy can be fun and taste good too.”

Each FISD cookbook is available on the kids teaching kids website, along with a database of recipes from high schools across the area that is searchable by ingredient.

Take the Challenge

• Sign up online for the 21-Day Challenge.
• After completing the challenge and survey, each child will be eligible to choose from a variety of prizes including stuffed lions, spirit sticks, backpacks and more.
• Learn more at www.kids-teaching-kids.com.