Kid C.H.E.F. at North Lake Village
July 15, 2016
By Joanna Scatasti, Communications Intern
Learning about fruits and vegetables may sound boring, but the kids in the latest Kid C.H.E.F. (Cooking Healthy, Easy Foods) class at North Lake Village in Middletown beg to differ. These young students are more than eager to learn about why they need to eat fruits and vegetables!
The five-day class series, led by Amanda Kopetsky, our Summer Nutrition Educator, and Kristina Davis, a dietetic intern from Iowa State University, teaches students about the five MyPlate food groups.
Students learn a variety of nutrition facts including the importance of fiber, why we need to incorporate different fruits and vegetables in our diets, the effects of vitamins on our bodies, and more. With games, worksheets, and their very own chef hats and aprons, it’s no wonder they’re so excited at the end of the day.
With the chance to win Kid C.H.E.F. tickets by showcasing their nutrition knowledge, participants are not reluctant to raise their hands to answer questions, especially when a prize awaits at the end of the five-day class! Students leave class at the end of the week not only with new knowledge, but also their own chef hat, apron and set of utensils to help make their very own healthy, inexpensive meals at home!
I had the chance to visit the Kid C.H.E.F. class on fruit day, and Amanda, Kristina and the group of students worked together to make a fruit smoothie. The students broke apart their own bananas, placed frozen strawberries in the blender, scooped out some yogurt, and watched the blender mix their masterpiece into a nice pink color. The best part?: they got to taste their own creations! Yummy!
In addition to the strawberry banana smoothies, students also had the opportunity to make veggie wraps, stir fry, tacos and pizza this week! All of these recipes incorporate foods from the MyPlate and are also easy to make at home with limited supervision. Kid C.H.E.F. is designed to help children 8 to 12 years old make healthy eating and physical activity choices. The ultimate goal is to help establish healthy eating habits and promote regular exercise at an early age that can help prevent obesity and encourage an active lifestyle as an adult!
Want more information about the Kid C.H.E.F Program? Click here!
Check out some more photos from the recent visit!
