UnderMountain Elementary School in Massachusetts plans to use the $1,000 grant to completely fund its Eat Well and Learn Program, a nutrition course that will teach 375 children about the importance of organic and locally-grown food, as well as how to prepare such foods for snacks and meals.

Learn more about the CWC nutrition grant program at: http://www.consumerwellness.org/NutritionalGrantProgram.html

Update: April, 2011

A Full Day of Cooking = A Whole New Way of Learning

By Susan Weinstein

“We need to create a new curriculum, and we need to teach it with interactive, hands-on techniques, and not just to kids sitting behind desks.”

- Alice Waters, chef and creator of the Chez Panisse Foundation…the Edible Schoolyard.

The magic began at 8:30 am on Wednesday, March 9th with 19 fifth grade students taking turns reading over the recipe of the day…Pizzarollie. After an introduction to the ingredients and kitchen tools, the children worked in teams dicing onions, zucchini and broccoli, shredding mozzarella cheese, sautéing, blanching, assembling and baking the delicious snack of the day.

Next in line were a group of kindergarten students, followed by a high school sophomore science class, 16 fourth grade students and ending the day with a fifth grade Spanish class. Equally amazing as the aroma of melted cheese, sautéed vegetables and tomato paste all rolled up in whole wheat tortillas… were the on going conversations popping up from table to table regarding fractions, measurement, symmetry, patterns, Spanish translations and even DNA and lifestyle habits!

At the end of each session the children filled out a survey about their cooking and eating experience. After viewing the responses it was a wonderfully validating experience to see that every child enjoyed cooking and would like to experience it again, even those that may not have been a big fan of the recipe’s ingredients.

Most telling were some of the verbal and written comments which included:

• 10 year old Lauren: "It was a good experience trying new food."
• 6 year old Patrick: "It was great!"
• Spanish teacher: “One student was able to sauté for the first time and all but one of my students tried the new food creation!”
• 9 year old Charles: “It was fun and delicious and it gives you a chance to make new foods."
• 11 year old Anthony: "It was fun and delicious and nutritious!"
• 10 year old Finn: "Cooking was fun!!!
• 16 year old Allison: "It was a fun way to eat healthy."
• 6 year old Hannah: "It was yum and fun!"

I want to thank the Consumer Wellness Education Grant for supporting the Eat Well & Learn’s initiative to empower our district’s children and their families about making healthy choices to instill lifelong healthful eating habits.

I also want to thank the Nutrition Center’s Food Adventure team, pediatric nutritionist Robert Hoechster and the Berkshire CO-OP Market’s educator Jenny Schwartz for designing and implementing this program. The Berkshire CO-OP Market has also generously donated all of the food used for our cooking experience. The next full day cooking experiences will be on Wednesday, April 6th and May 11th.

A Second Full Day of Cooking = Learning the Value of
Eating Local Foods

 

“Teaching your children where their food comes from is a fundamental step to getting them interested in healthy eating.”

- Alice Waters, chef and creator of the Chez Panisse Foundation…the Edible Schoolyard.

On Wednesday, April 16th 100 children, between the ages of five and eleven, experienced the delight and excitement of cooking with their classmates and teachers. The theme of this cooking day was ‘Learning Where Our Food Comes From and How It Is Produced’.

The morning sessions prepped and prepared Breakfast Burittos, using local organic eggs and vegetables, while the afternoon sessions made Pizzarollie using local mozzarella cheese and a variety of locally grown organic produce. After an introduction to the ingredients and kitchen tools, the children worked in teams measuring, dicing, sautéing, blanching, assembling and baking the delicious snack of the day.

When every last morsel had vanished from each plate, and all was cleaned, swept and washed; the Nutrition Center’s Food Adventure educator, Narissa asked the children what ‘eating local’ meant to them. It was surprising many children knew the answer because of their experience and education through the U & ME Schoolyard Garden; however, there were many children who were not sure. This led to a discussion about food choices based on the seasons.

The lesson began by discussing and listing all of the locally grown foods currently in season (ramps, lettuce, maple syrup) followed by foods grown locally in the Summer, Fall and Winter. The children were amazed by the fruits and vegetables that are shipped in from California, Mexico, Florida and Chile. This lead to the final question, “Which foods are fresher and more flavorful…foods grown locally…or foods shipped in from faraway states and countries?” It was unanimous, buying and eating locally grown fruits and vegetables taste better!

I want to thank the Consumer Wellness Education Grant for supporting the Eat Well & Learn’s initiative to empower our district’s children and their families about making healthy choices to instill lifelong healthful eating habits.

I also want to thank the Nutrition Center’s Food Adventure team, educator Narissa and the Berkshire CO-OP Market’s educator, Jenny for designing and implementing this program. The Berkshire CO-OP Market has also generously donated all of the locally grown and organic foods used for this cooking event. The last full day of cooking will be on Wednesday, May 11th.