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Is New MyPlate Vegetarian?

Posted on July 6, 2011 by in New Products, USDA MyPlate

As you’ve probably been noticing, the USDA introduced a new food icon called MyPlate to replace the food pyramid,  MyPyramid.

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USDA MyPlate Poster from Learning ZoneXpress

 

In the government’s movement toward teaching Americans healthy eating habits, have they included vegetarian diets? I did a quick search of the USDA site and found this full page on Vegetarian Diets. 

It says: 

Vegetarian diets can meet all the recommendations for nutrients. The key is to consume a variety of foods and the right amount of foods to meet your calorie needs. Follow the food group recommendations for your age, sex, and activity level to get the right amount of food and the variety of foods needed for nutrient adequacy. Nutrients that vegetarians may need to focus on include protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12.

It’s so important to include as many types of eating when selecting the healthiest plate. We’re a diverse country with a broad range of  tastes. The key to making the best food choices for you is to make selections based on the correct portion size within each food group AND choose what you like!

Check out this 1 Great Plate™ Poster showcasing 4 unique ways to fill a healthy plate – vegetarian or not, we encourage you to “Make It Yours”!

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1 Great Plate™ Make It Yours Poster from Learning ZoneXpress

Learning ZoneXpress Unveils USDA MyPlate Products to Use in the Classroom

Posted on June 3, 2011 by in FACS Resources, New Products, Uncategorized

Yesterday First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack unveiled the federal government’s new food icon, MyPlate, to serve as a reminder to help all of us make healthier food choices.  In response, Learning ZoneXpress, Inc. immediately designed USDA MyPlate products using the new icon which inspire consumers to build a healthy plate at mealtime.  The new MyPlate icon emphasizes the fruit, vegetable, grain, protein and dairy food groups.

Melanie Nelson, former FACS (Family and Consumer Science) teacher and owner of Learning ZoneXpress, Inc. , a company that develops educational products to teach nutrition and healthy living says, “The new plate icon is a powerful image for young people.  Our 1 Great Plate TM series has been popular for a year, and Learning ZoneXpress, Inc will have the new USDA MyPlate icon available in products by the end of the day, June 3.”

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The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, issued by the USDA in January of this year form the basis of the federal

government’s nutrition and education programs, federal assistance programs and dietary advice provided by health and nutrition professionals.

The Guidelines messages include: Balance Calories, Foods to Increase and Foods to Reduce.  The recommendations are:

  1. Physical activity of 30 minutes per day for all ages, 60 minutes per day for children and teens and 60-90 minutes for those who want to lose weight.
  2. Choose nutrient rich foods: vegetables, fruits and whole grains, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, beans and peas, nuts and seeds.
  3. Limit the intake of: sodium, solid fats, added sugars and refined grains.

These recommended guidelines are intended as an integrated set of advice to achieve an overall healthy eating pattern.  The new food icon is meant to be a simple easy reminder for families, children and nutrition professionals.

For more information visit www.ChooseMyPlate.gov or www.learningzonexpress.com

Move Into Reading

Posted on May 23, 2011 by in New Products, Uncategorized

What’s the best way to teach the alphabet to K-5 children? Make them move their arms fast. Or hop over a piece of paper. Or pretend to push open a giant door.

Those are a few of the activities in Alphabet on the Move, a new literacy and activity curriculum from Learning ZoneXpress.

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“We wanted to bring together movement and literacy,” explains Jennifer Bridges, co-creator of Alphabet on the Move. “They’re the foundation upon which everything else is built: playing, reading, and learning. And we knew from experience and studies that improved physical activity ties in directly with improved academic performance.”

Alphabet on the Move gives each letter a week’s worth of tracing, writing, and physical activities. On Monday of B is for Balance week, for example, a child will balance on her right foot for three seconds, then traces and writes a capital “B.” On Tuesday, it’s the left foot and a small “b.”

The curriculum also comes with tracing and coloring pages for the students, 26 colorful posters for the classroom, and helpful week-at-a-glace pages for the teacher.

Bridges designed Alphabet on the Move with fellow kinesiologist Karen Abels to meet the standards of the International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE).

Jennifer Bridges is a Professor of Kinesiology at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan, and Karen Abels is an Associate Professor of Kinesiology at the University of North Texas. Both are busy developing more movement-centered learning activities for young children.

Brought to you by guest blogger, Michael Lotti.

Help Put an End To Bullying

Posted on April 28, 2011 by in New Products, Uncategorized

Bullying is a big problem in schools today, but fortunately there are great resources available to do something about it. We wanted to share this fantastic resource available free to schools: a 40 minute documentary film, Bullied, available from Teaching Tolerance (http://www.tolerance.org/bullied). This documentary chronicles one student’s ordeal at the hands of anti-gay bullies and offers and sends an inspiring message of hope to those being bullied toady. Also available is a free downloadable teaching guide to go along with the video that includes both classroom activities and a guide schools and districts on bullying. 

Some interesting bullying statistics from the teaching guide:

• An estimated 160,000 US students skip school each day to avoid being bullied.
• Behaviors commonly associated with bullying include impulsiveness, disliking school and getting in trouble often; most bullies have confidence and high self-esteem
• 35% of 9th graders believe their teachers are interested in trying to stop bullying

For more resources to educate students about the danger in bullying and cyberbullying (bullying through the use of the Internet, mobile phones, or other electronics), see these LZE products:

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Cyberbullying Poster

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7 Ways to Block a Cyberbully DVD

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Put a STOP to Bullying Bulletin Board Kit

Send Us Your Nutrition Activity and Win an iPod Touch

Posted on December 24, 2010 by in New Products, Special Offers

120007 Send Us Your Nutrition Activity and Win an iPod Touch

We are creating a book called 5 Minute Nutrition Activities for Preschoolers for our 2011 early childhood catalog and would like to include your ideas. 50 of the best activities will appear in our book. The nutrition activity must be something appropriate for 3-5 year olds, such as a project, game, story, discussion question, etc. that takes approximately five minutes. E-mail nutrition activity ideas to angela@learningzonexpress.com. Read the rules here.

More Great Apps and Foodscapes Products in the Works

Posted on November 16, 2010 by in LZE Team News, New Products

Our food stylists and photographers have been busy this week creating new “great apps” and Foodscapes scenes. Here’s an inside-look into the talented artists’ creations. Watch for their debut in the January 2011 catalog.

Foodscapes for your Fridge!

Posted on December 3, 2009 by in New Products, Uncategorized

2083 300x298 Foodscapes for your Fridge!

You are going to LOVE these new Foodscapes magnets: The Fruit and Veggie Team Magnets feature fruit and veggie characters being active and the Fruit and Veggie Farm Magnet promotes fruits and veggies with cute edible farm animals. Enjoy!

Food Science Video Sneak Peak

Posted on November 17, 2009 by in New Products

We had a fabulous food science video shoot on Saturday at Minnesota State University – Mankato. The student actors were so cute! Our host – 2009 AAFCS Teacher of the Year, Susan Turgeson – walked the students through several food science experiments in her Successful Food Science Lesson Plans.

This is the video footage that Angela and Linnea took from the shoot:

Look for this video in 2010!

New Food Science DVD is in the Works

Posted on November 10, 2009 by in New Products

food science New Food Science DVD is in the WorksWe will be filming a new video on food science at Minnesota State University at Mankato on Saturday. We are excited to work with MSU students and professors in their new food science labs. Stay tuned for pictures from the video shoot. Wait ’til you see the moldy potatoes!

NEW Foodscapes Polar Bear Holiday Card

Posted on October 29, 2009 by in New Products

polar bear NEW Foodscapes Polar Bear Holiday CardWe are pleased and excited to announce that we have a NEW holiday card! It’s the Polar Bear Holiday Card and oh-so-cute! Can you guess what the fish are made of?

You can order the Foodscapes Polar Bear Holiday Cards here.

We have  other Foodscapes holiday cards to choose from as well – Enjoy!