Dietetic Interns at Maryland Day

As our time in the University of Maryland Dietetic Internship comes to a close we have been given a variety of opportunities to get out of the classroom and put our nutrition knowledge to use throughout the community. This Saturday we had the privilege to attend Maryland Day in order to promote a healthy lifestyle to not only University of Maryland students, but also to members from the community around UMD and all of Maryland! It was a beautiful day and we all had an wonderful time playing with the children and providing education at the same time!

            Interns were stationed at two separate booths with different nutrition related activities. At my station we promoted portion sizing with MyPlate. We provided our audience with a myriad of handouts and magnets they could take home and share with their entire family. We attracted a large audience with a variety of food models that demonstrated proper portion sizing. It was very fulfilling to meet families that were interested in improving their diet, and introduce them to MyPlate.

            We were then able to add some fun and a competitive spirit into our booth with a MyPlate inspired beanbag toss. Children and families were challenged to throw beanbags into different food groups on our boards. Everyone had a great time and were able to win an educational coloring book with an assortment of activities for all ages. This enabled our participants to take the knowledge they learned while playing with us home to share with the rest of their family and friends.

            I had an amazing day out in the community sharing what I love with all of the guests at Maryland Day! Becoming a dietitian has enabled me to learn a lot and have fun at the same time!