School Nutrition Corner: Spreading Healthy Living Habits Through Simple Things

Over the past year, the School Nutrition Corner has been implemented synchronously at junior high schools in Cau Giay district, including Yen Hoa Junior High School, Nam Trung Yen Junior High School, Nghia Tan Junior High School, and Truong Cong Giai Junior High School. More than just a visual information corner, it has become an open educational space, contributing to the formation of healthy eating habits and raising awareness about health care for students from the junior high school age.

Nutrition Corner – An “Open Classroom” for School Health

At each school, the Nutrition Corner is designed scientifically, friendly, and suitable for the age group. Posters about the school nutrition pyramid, charts illustrating essential food groups, the message to drink 2-3 liters of water per day, or images of the “nutrition rainbow” representing the diversity of nutrient groups… are all placed at eye level for students, making them easy to observe, remember, and apply in practice.

Knowledge is no longer dry and abstract on the pages of books, but is presented vividly through images, colors, and experiential activities. During each break, students can stop to read, discuss with friends, and even ask themselves questions about their daily meals. This gentle approach has helped school nutrition become a natural part of their learning lives.

Practical experience, learning nutrition through action

A highlight of the Nutrition Corner activities at schools is the active and creative participation of students.
At Yen Hoa Secondary School, students together wrote “letters to the future,” expressing their wishes for a healthy body and scientific eating habits. Small messages and commitments displayed on the bulletin board created a positive and inspiring atmosphere.

At Nghia Tan Secondary School, students built a “wall of commitment” with specific goals such as eating more green vegetables, limiting fast food, and drinking enough water every day. Students also calculated the capacity of their personal water bottles (300ml, 500ml, 1 liter…) to determine the necessary number of drinks to ensure they consume 2–3 liters of water per day.

Many groups of students worked together to classify carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, and fiber, discussing the role of each nutrient group in physical and intellectual development. Knowledge became more accessible when directly related to daily meals.

The activities of preparing and enjoying nutritious food helped put theory into practice, creating joy and lasting memory.

Especially at Nam Trung Yen Secondary School, the Nutrition Corner was positioned to overlook the school garden, where students had previously participated in planting vegetables and caring for plants during experiential learning sessions. From soil to plants, to meals, and to the body, a visual educational cycle was formed. Students understood that food doesn’t appear naturally, but is the result of care, patience, and respect for nature.

Developing Healthy Eating Habits from an Early Age

Through the Nutrition Corner, students gradually develop positive habits:
Eating a balanced diet with sufficient nutrients

Increasing consumption of green vegetables and fruits

Limiting fast food and processed foods

Drinking enough water every day

Not wasting food and appreciating the value of meals

More importantly, they learn to listen to their bodies and understand that taking care of their health is loving themselves. Small daily commitments, if consistently maintained, will become the foundation for a scientific and sustainable lifestyle.

Spreadingthe Message: Adequate Nutrition – Lasting Health – Bright Future

The positive response from teachers and students at four junior high schools has shown the clear effectiveness of the School Nutrition Corner model. Not only does it contribute to raising awareness of proper nutrition, but the activity also fosters creativity, teamwork skills, and a sense of responsibility among students towards their own health.

The Nutrition Corner is not just a bulletin board, but a place to sow the “seeds” of good habits. Later, when the students grow up, they may not remember every number on the nutrition chart, but they will surely remember the feeling of writing their own pledges, discussing healthy meals with friends, or looking out at the green garden and understanding that health also needs daily care.

From Yen Hoa Secondary School, Nam Trung Yen Secondary School, Nghia Tan Secondary School to Truong Cong Giai Secondary School, the Nutrition Corner activity is gradually spreading a simple yet lasting message: building a generation of healthy, confident, and happy students begins with small choices in each daily meal.