Posted: Thursday, February 4, 2010 3:22 pm

Tajah Buckingham and her mother Tahoma were taken on a grocery shopping spree and taught healthy-eating habits through a partnership between Murfreesboro City Schools and the Rutherford County Health Department.

Almost 2 in 10 grade-school age children in America is obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Murfreesboro City Schools and the Rutherford County Health Department have partnered to try to fight the epidemic in local children.

The General Mills Foundation awarded MCS a grant to give a few lucky students and their families a refrigerator makeover.

The school system also used the funds for a 15-week program aimed at improving children’s health and capacity to learn through the support of peers, families, communities and schools.

“Through this program, we increased their understanding about good nutrition, healthy choices, and the importance of physical activity for a healthier lifestyle,” said Andrea Cain, MCS supervisor of Coordinated School Health.

Students from 15 families, who attend Cason Lane, Hobgood and Scales Elementary schools, participated in the program and two lucky families won free groceries for refrigerator makeovers.

The first family to makeover its refrigerator was the Buckinghams, who won a $250 Refrigerator Makeover during our BAM! Get Fit Kids Celebration on Nov. 30 at the Discovery Center at Murfree Springs.

“During the Family Night Celebration, we were able to have drawings for five family memberships to Discovery Center at Murfree Springs and two Refrigerator Makeovers from the Rutherford County Health Department,” Cain said.

The Refrigerator Makeovers consisted of meetings with the families, and health department staff, to go over eating and shopping habits; and to set goals that they have for their families in relation to health.

They also had a registered dietitian work with them to help the families better understand how to maximize their shopping experience to include nutrient rich options.

The dietitian that worked with the Buckingham Family, Beth Allen from the Mid-Cumberland Regional Health Department, surveyed them on an array of questions, some of which included inquiries regarding frequently cooked meals, health problems, eating out and their junk food intake.

She also gave them healthy eating tips and suggestions to the family, including easier meal preparations.

Then Allen went with the Buckinghams on a grocery store tour and shopping experience where they spent almost three hours going through the aisles, taking notes, and evaluating nutrition labels before deciding whether they would purchase anything.

“The department’s main goal is for the family to open the refrigerator, and find quick and healthy meals,” Cain said.