Program Overview
SuperFood Heroes® is a free, school-based nutrition and taste testing program that will change the way students think about vegetables.
It’s no secret. Vegetables can be boring and bland, especially when competing with a delicious main dish. Many kids don’t get a large variety of these healthy foods early in life, when their taste preferences develop. And some try a vegetable once, decide they don’t like it, and never try it again. Unfortunately, based on a CDC survey published in 2014, 9 in 10 children don’t eat the recommended amount of vegetables.
SuperFood Heroes® is designed to increase vegetable consumption among 3rd and 4th graders. Our team of superheroes promote the nutritional benefits of 20 common vegetables and legumes through fun, bite-sized facts. They’ll help you prepare those foods using tasty recipes unlike the typical boring and bland veggie dishes. Kids will try those foods multiple times throughout the program, helping them to develop a real taste for them that can last a lifetime.
While the program is designed for grades 3-4, SuperFood Heroes® can be tailored to any age group. It’s completely customizable to your school’s size and schedule. We offer an easy 4-step process to help your team plan and deliver your program. As a participating school, you’ll receive all the resources you need to start and develop your program, along with our guidance and support to help you succeed.
What’s Included
As a SuperFood Heroes® participant, your school will receive:
A step-by-step guide to creating your school’s program, including help with selecting vegetables and legumes and menu planning
An introduction to our 20 colorful and powerful SuperFood Heroes®
Eight interactive lesson plans
Talking points for each SuperFood Hero®
Tasty recipes
Flying Home information for parents
Posters to help promote your program
Resources to help with purchasing, promotion, parent communications and more
Access to program staff for support
Expect Success!
Schools that have participated in SuperFood Heroes® have yielded impressive results. They’ve seen students:
Eat more and waste less at lunchtime
Try certain vegetables and legumes for the first time
Recognize these healthy foods and recall their nutritional benefits
Discover their personal taste preferences
Ask for vegetables, beans and other legumes at home
Develop a taste for nutritious foods that lasts a lifetime
Ready to take the next step?
Get to know our 20 powerfully fun Superfood Heroes®.
Results Feed Our Growth
SuperFood Heroes® launched in 2013 after a pilot program in Indiana achieved impressive results getting kids to recognize, try and learn about vegetables. The program was created in response to the USDA’s 2012 changes to its school food standards (part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010).
Today, we leverage federal data, along with valuable feedback from our participating schools in Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky, to continuously improve and grow the SuperFood Heroes® program. Your participation and feedback will help us improve nutrition in children for years to come.
about us
Upgrade in Schools
SuperFood Heroes® is a program created by Upgrade in Schools™, a wellness initiative of Welborn Baptist Foundation. The school-based initiative is a grant-funded health program currently implemented at schools in 14 counties in Southern Indiana, Northwestern Kentucky and Southeastern Illinois.
Upgrade also supports additional community settings, creating and promoting opportunities for healthy eating and active living. Learn more by visiting upgradenow.org.
Welborn Baptist Foundation
Welborn Baptist Foundation celebrates over 20 years of grant-making and capacity building in the tristate. Established in 1999, the Foundation focuses on early learning, healthy eating and active living, Christ-centered living and nonprofit excellence.
Since its inception, the Foundation has provided $68 million to nonprofits in Southwestern Indiana, Southeastern Illinois and Western Kentucky.