The Williams County Health Department (WCHD) has recently kicked off its annual MyPlate program with third graders at Montpelier Exempted Village Schools. The program aims to teach students about healthy eating habits by focusing on the five key food groups and the nutrients the food provides.

“MyPlate is an evidence-based curriculum administered by the Department of Agriculture,” explained Sara Casper, an education specialist with WCHD. “It pretty much replaced the food pyramid. MyPlate goes over the five food groups in general, how much you should eat, why you should eat from all of them, and the nutrients you get from them.”