Healthy Rewards and Celebrations

Classroom Rewards

Classroom rewards and incentives can be an effective way to encourage positive behavior. However, offering foods as a reward can interfere with natural hunger cues and selected foods are often inconsistent with healthy eating messages. The following resources include free or low-cost alternatives to food rewards and strategies for using healthy food rewards as part of a larger learning experience.

Constructive Classroom Rewards: Promoting Good Habits While Protecting Children’s Health (PDF)
Discusses the impact of food as a reward or punishment. Offers many examples of beneficial and inexpensive rewards. From the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Alternatives to Using Food as a Reward (PDF)
By Michigan State University Extension.

Healthy Rewards and Incentives for Students (PDF)
From North Carolina Action for Health Kids

Guide to Healthy Classroom Food Choices (PDF)
From Wisconsin Action for Healthy Kids

Celebrations

Healthy Classroom Celebrations (PDF)
Policy Ideas and Resources from the Center for Science in the Public Interest.