Celebrating World Food Day: How to make Healthy Eating & Choices

World Food Day, celebrated on October 16th, is a global event that highlights the importance of food and agriculture, and the need to ensure that everyone has access to healthy and nutritious meals. It’s a day for learning about how food is grown, the importance of eating healthy, and how we can help reduce food waste. For preschoolers, World Food Day is a wonderful opportunity to explore where our food comes from, the joy of sharing meals with others, and why it’s important to care for our planet.

What is World Food Day?

World Food Day was established by the United Nations in 1979 to promote awareness of global hunger and to celebrate the food that nourishes us all. It’s a time to think about the millions of people around the world who may not have enough to eat and to reflect on how we can help. For young children, this day can be a fun way to learn about food, farming, and the value of sharing meals with family and friends.

Preschoolers can participate in World Food Day through hands-on activities like cooking, gardening, and sharing meals, which help them understand the importance of food and caring for those who may not have enough.

Why is World Food Day Important?

Food is essential to life, and World Food Day reminds us all of the need to ensure that everyone, no matter where they live, has access to nutritious meals. It’s also an opportunity to teach children about healthy eating, where food comes from, and how food waste can harm the planet. By celebrating World Food Day, we can introduce preschoolers to the ideas of gratitude, sustainability, and kindness, showing them how they can make a difference in the world.

Fun Ways to Celebrate World Food Day with Preschoolers

There are many exciting and simple ways to involve preschoolers in World Food Day. From learning about fruits and vegetables to helping reduce food waste, these activities will help children understand the importance of food and how they can care for others and the environment.

1. Exploring Healthy Foods

Introduce preschoolers to different types of healthy foods, like fruits, vegetables, and grains. You can organize a taste-testing activity where children try different fruits and vegetables and talk about their flavors and textures. Show them a rainbow of healthy foods and explain how each one helps keep our bodies strong and healthy.

Lesson for Preschoolers:

• Understanding the importance of eating a variety of healthy foods
• Exploring different flavors and learning where foods come from

2. Farm-to-Table: Learning About Where Food Comes From

Talk to preschoolers about how food grows and how farmers work hard to bring food from the farm to our tables. You can show them pictures or videos of farms where fruits and vegetables are grown, or even start a small garden in the classroom where children can plant seeds and watch them grow. Learning about food sources helps children appreciate the work that goes into growing the food they eat.

Lesson for Preschoolers:

• Learning that food comes from nature and farms, not just the grocery store
• Understanding the role of farmers and the importance of taking care of the Earth

3. Sharing and Caring: The Importance of Sharing Food

World Food Day is a great time to talk to preschoolers about the joy of sharing meals with others. You can organize a simple picnic or snack-sharing activity where each child brings a small snack to share with the group. Use this activity to explain how sharing food with friends and family makes everyone feel happy and included.

Lesson for Preschoolers:

• Learning the importance of sharing food with others
• Building a sense of community and kindness

4. Cooking Together: Simple Recipe Fun

Get preschoolers involved in the kitchen by making a simple recipe together, like a fruit salad or sandwiches. Let them help with tasks like washing fruit, mixing ingredients, or arranging the food on plates. This hands-on experience helps children appreciate the effort that goes into preparing food and encourages them to try new healthy foods.

Lesson for Preschoolers:

• Understanding how food is prepared and cooked
• Encouraging teamwork and cooperation through cooking

5. Reducing Food Waste: Be a Food Hero

Teach preschoolers about the importance of not wasting food. Explain that food is precious, and we should only take as much as we can eat. You can create a simple sorting activity where children separate items into "food we eat" and "food waste," helping them learn to avoid throwing away food unnecessarily.

Lesson for Preschoolers:

• Learning about the value of food and the importance of reducing waste
• Understanding that small actions can help care for the environment

6. Gratitude Circle: Thanking the Earth for Our Food

At snack or mealtime, gather the preschoolers in a circle and ask them to share something they are thankful for about their food. Whether it’s their favorite fruit, a yummy dish, or the farmers who grow the food, this activity teaches children to appreciate the food they eat and the people who make it possible.

Lesson for Preschoolers:

• Practicing gratitude for the food they enjoy
• Developing an understanding of how many people work to bring food to our tables

Teaching the Values of World Food Day

World Food Day isn’t just about food—it’s also about teaching preschoolers important values they can carry with them as they grow:

• Gratitude: By learning where food comes from and appreciating the effort that goes into growing and preparing it, preschoolers can develop a sense of gratitude for the food they eat each day.

• Sharing: World Food Day is an opportunity to emphasize the importance of sharing, especially with those who may not have enough. Preschoolers can learn the joy of sharing food and how it helps build a caring community.

• Healthy Eating: Preschoolers can begin to understand the benefits of eating a variety of healthy foods, which will help them grow strong and healthy. Learning about fruits, vegetables, and grains can encourage them to make good food choices.

• Sustainability: By teaching children about food waste and the importance of caring for the environment, we can help them develop habits that protect the Earth and reduce waste.

Fun Activities to Promote World Food Day All Year Long

Even after World Food Day, there are many ways to continue teaching preschoolers about food and healthy eating:

1. Plant a Classroom Garden

Create a small classroom garden where children can grow their own herbs, vegetables, or flowers. Watching the plants grow helps preschoolers understand where food comes from and builds a connection with nature.

2. Food Rainbow Art

Encourage preschoolers to create colorful drawings of their favorite fruits and vegetables, arranging them in a "food rainbow." This is a fun way to introduce the idea that eating a variety of colorful foods helps keep them healthy.

3. Story Time: Books About Food and Farming

Read books that focus on farming, food, and healthy eating, like “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle or “Eating the Alphabet” by Lois Ehlert. These stories introduce children to the importance of healthy food choices in a fun and engaging way.

Conclusion

World Food Day is a fantastic opportunity to introduce preschoolers to the importance of food, healthy eating, and caring for others. Through fun and simple activities like cooking, sharing snacks, and learning about where food comes from, children can begin to understand the value of food and the joy of sharing meals with others.

As we celebrate World Food Day, we help preschoolers appreciate the food they eat, reduce food waste, and develop an early sense of gratitude, responsibility, and kindness. Let’s inspire our little ones to be mindful eaters, grateful for the food on their plates, and caring toward those who may not have enough.