Third graders from around Fresno County are invited to the Fresno fairgrounds for Farm and Nutrition Day in April of each year to learn about the local agriculture community. They get to learn about topics including how cows are milked, how a tractor operates and what foods are grown in Fresno County.
At Farm and Nutrition Day, the UC CalFresh team put on a nutrition play incorporating the concepts of “Sometimes” foods and “Anytime” foods. What are “Sometimes” and “Anytime” Foods?
“Anytime” foods are the healthy foods we find on MyPlate such as carrots, string cheese, whole grain crackers, and strawberries.
“Sometimes” foods are the foods we want to limit in our diets because they contain too much fat, sodium or sugar. Some examples include soda, candy and chips.
In our play, the character Anytime Andy loves eating healthy foods and playing with his friends. His friend Sometimes Sal likes to bring cookies, candy, and chips for lunch but never has energy to play during recess. Throughout the play Anytime Andy helps to teach Sometimes Sal that instead of eating “sometimes” foods he should bring more “anytime” foods to give him energy throughout the day.
By the end of the play students learn the difference between “Anytime” and “Sometimes” foods and the importance of making healthy choices.
Special thanks to the Big Fresno Fair and the Fresno County Farm Bureau for their coordination of this fantastic event each year.