Kids Need To Know How Broccoli Grows & What It Looks Like!

Kids Need To Know How Broccoli Grows & What It Looks Like!

Fri 31 Aug 2012

Story by The Food Revolution Team
 

Yesterday saw the first of our Food Revolution Community Google+ Hangouts where we were joined by some amazing participants to talk about food education and real food in schools.

Start Small And You Can Make A Big Difference



From what the new meal regulations are and how schools can start to implement these, to how important food education is in getting students to eat new, and healthier, menu items, school food was a hot topic on yesterday’s Food Revolution Community Hangout!

Live on Google+, we were joined by community members, Food Revolution heroes and partner organisations to discuss the small changes that we can all do which will make a big difference to the health of the nation.

We heard from Katie Bishop, Nutrition Policy Associate from the CSPI as to what changes students can expect to see in schools this year, what the new regulations mean and how we can all help to implement them, in school and at home. Food Revolution ambassadors Brandi Thompson and Ann Butler imparted their knowledge on why food education is so important and how they are educating kids on real food and giving them life-long skills to enable them to make the right food choices. Dr Eric. Rimm from the Harvard School of Public health explained how we have to do our best to avoid sugar sweetened fruits and vegetables and that learning food education is just as important as learning about science and maths. Chef Ann Cooper explained how she has managed to meet the new school meal regulations, and how they have been getting parents involved in supporting these changes and keeping the students involved in every step of the way. And Marshall Reid talked about how he as a student is educating his peers on real foods and how we need to retrain our taste buds.

If you missed the hangout, you can watch it all again here and get some top tips from Food Revolutionaries on the ground in helping to improve and support better school food.

Hangout Highlights



“Easiest way to get compliant with these new rules is to implement salad bars in schools.” Chef Ann Cooper

“We need to give kids a consistent message, every year, so that they understand food is as important as math and science.” Dr Eric Rimm

“When I started cooking, I appreciated the food a LOT more!” Marshall Reid

“Working with the parent association, students and the administration to really make a difference and really teach them about nutrition.” Brandi Thompson

“We just did it, we just took the flavored milk away, in my world it’s soda in drag, you shouldn’t be serving it and we just took it away - milk consumption didn’t stop and nobody died from lack of chocolate milk!” Chef Ann Cooper

“Studies show that you can teach kids at a young age and it will stick” Ann Butler

“Children need to know where broccoli is grown and what it looks like” Dr Eric Rimm

“I NEVER use the word 'healthy', I just say cooking is fun” Ann Butler

Thanks to all of our participants for joining the hangout and for showing us that no matter how small you start - holding taste tests at school, fighting for a salad bar, starting an afterschool cooking club, getting kids in the garden or banning flavored milk - you can make a big difference.

We all have a role to play when it comes to supporting and helping schools in implementing these new school meal regulations and standing up for real food in schools!

The Food Revolution Team

Resources:
www.schoolfoods.org/back2school
http://www.thelunchbox.org
http://saladbars2schools.org/
http://www.thelunchbox.org/content/rainbow-days-salad-bar-student-activity-guide-0