(Jan13-06) York Region Health Services is pleased to announce the winning classes in the 4 for Lunch: A Healthy Lunch Challenge. Each class wins a healthy lunch party, courtesy of Vince’s Country Market (Newmarket).

• 214 grade 3 classes from across York Region registered in this nutritional education project which aims to encourage children and parents to plan and pack nutritious lunches.
• The goal of this initiative is to ensure that foods from the four recommended food groups outlined by Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating - grain products, vegetables and fruits, milk products and meat and alternatives are included in daily lunches.
• During the week of October 24-27, 2005, each participating class recorded the total number of food products from Canada’s Food Guide that were in student’s lunches.
• This annual challenge is offered by York Region Health Services, Nutrition and School Services to support teachers in educating about nutrition in the classroom.
• All participating students will receive a certificate. One class was drawn from each of four areas in York Region for the grand prize of a healthy lunch party, to be delivered on the following dates:

North winner: Mount Albert Public School
Tuesday, January 17th, 2006, 12:20 p.m.
Teacher: Charlene Cooper

South-west winner: St. Clare Catholic Elementary School
Tuesday, January 17th, 2006, 12:00 p.m.
Teacher: Anna-Sabrina Deacetis

Central winner: Bayview Hill Elementary School
Thursday, January 19th, 2006, 12:50 p.m.
Teacher: Meiling Wong

South-east winner: Milliken Mills Public School
Thursday, January 19th, 2006, 12:00 p.m.
Teacher: Donna Irwin-Neto

The 4 for Lunch: A Healthy Lunch Challenge program is annually offered to all grade 3 students within the York Region District School Board and York Catholic District School Board. York Region Health Services, Nutrition and School Services, partnering with the local heart health program, heartyparty.com (www.heartyparty.com) are able to provide nutritional resources for parents to help them make and pack healthy lunches.

It is well documented that children learn and behave better when they are well-nourished. Children may not be as well-nourished as possible because of limited food knowledge of what foods contribute to healthy meals. Today, many children are bringing lunches to school that consist of high sugar, high fat, and low nutrient foods.

To learn more about developing healthy eating strategies, Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating or other health-related issues, contact York Region Health Services Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653 (toll free) or visit www.york.ca.