All throughout March, there is an abundance of opportunities (and resources!) to help you celebrate and implement nutritious, nourishing food experiences for kids.

For starters, March is National Nutrition Month®, an annual campaign created 50 years ago. “Fuel for the Future” is this year’s theme, and in honor of the 50th anniversary of National Nutrition Month here are 50 Ideas to Get Involved and campaign resources available in multiple languages.

Here are some additional ways for various farm to school stakeholders to engage during the action-packed themed weeks related to school meals and agricultural education:

• March 6 – 10 is National School Breakfast Week, which celebrates the importance of a nutritious school breakfast in fueling students for success. If you are already celebrating, don’t forget to share your celebrations on social media using #NSBW23. Find activities and coloring sheets, printable certificates of participation and sample social media and promotional materials on the website.
• March 13 – 17 is National CACFP Week, designed to raise awareness of how the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) brings healthy foods to tables across the country for children in child care centers, homes, and afterschool programs as well as adults in day care. Don’t miss the variety of resources available to help you celebrate at your Early Care and Education site, including a social media challenge and their daily webinars planned from 1-1:30 PM ET Monday – Friday next week.
• March 21 – 27 is PA Ag Literacy Week which coincides with National Ag Day! Pennsylvania Ag Literacy Week focuses on connecting volunteers from the agricultural community to local classrooms to share the story of agriculture. Find recommended books, lessons and resources on the Pennsylvania Friends of Agriculture Foundation’s website and incorporate them into your classroom or child care activities. Partnerships between schools or ECE sites and local farmers can make farm tours or a farmer visit into the cafeteria or classroom a possibility!
• Looking ahead to April 1 – 7, consider participating in Week of the Young Child, a fun-filled week celebrating early learning, young children and their teachers, families, and communities.

Happy celebrating!

If you like to plan ahead, now is also a great time to start brainstorming how you will celebrate Farm to School Month in October! To get some inspiration, read this blog post highlighting some of the celebrations from 2022.