consciouseating
Kids like simple,
elemental tastes and embrace the magic of the three-ingredient approach to cooking.
~Rozanne Gold, Eat Fresh Food: Awesome Recipes for Teen Chefs
They Love Healthy Food They Make Themselves by Judith Fertig
KID COOKERY I
n less than a generation, childhood obesity has risen substantially, most notably in the United States, according to the article “Child and Adolescent Obesity: Part of a Bigger Picture,” in a recent issue of The Lancet. The authors attest that modern culture’s promotion of junk food encourages weight gain and can exacerbate risk factors for chronic disease in our kids. When concerned parents have a
picky child bent on eating only French fries, they could enroll them in healthy cooking classes that offer tastings and related hands-on experiences for youths from preschoolers through teens. Here, children are encouraged to try more foods, eat healthier and learn about meal preparation, plus sharpen some math, geography and social skills. Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Leah Smith, the mother of two elementary school children, founded Kids Kitchen and Chefs Club, in Austin, Texas, in 2011. She offers classes for chefs (ages 3 to 6), junior chefs (5 to 11) and senior chefs (11 to 14). Kids learn how to make dishes such as yogurt parfait popsicles with healthy grains clusters or roasted
tomato soup with homemade croutons. “I’m a fi rm believer that teaching kids about which foods are good for us, and why, will positively infl uence their lifelong eating habits,” says Smith. “Start right, stay right.”
Elena Marre, also the mother of two elementary school children, faced the challenge of a picky eater in her family. In 2007, she started The Kids’ Table, in Chicago, and solved her own problem along the way. Says Marre, “It’s amazing how often I hear a child complain about not liking red peppers, dark leafy greens or onions at the beginning of a class. It’s so rewarding when that same child is devouring a dish made with those three ingredients at the end.” Healthy kids cooking classes
provide a fresh way to combat poverty, according to the Children’s Aid Society, in New York City. The group started Go!Chefs in 2006 at community schools and centers throughout the city and knows how to make it fun with Iron Chef-style competitions. “When offered a choice between an apple and a candy on two consecutive occasions and with most having chosen
26 Central Florida natural awakenings
the candy the fi rst time, 57 percent of students in the Go!Kids health and fi tness program chose the apple the second time, compared to 33 percent in the control group,” says Stefania Patinella, director of the society’s food and nutrition programs. In Minnesota’s Twin Cities region, “We do a lot of outreach with Head Start, community schools and organizations like scout troops,” says Chef Ani Loizzo, Whole Foods Market’s culinary instructor at the Whole Kids Club Kitchen Camp, in Lake Calhoun. “We have many kids that know about organic and biodynamic farming and we talk about that in class. We might focus on a healthy ingredient like tomatoes in a one-hour class or explore the culture of Greece or Mexico through food in a longer session.” Loizzo loves the natural curiosity that kids bring to cooking classes. “Sparking an interest in exploring ingredients and fl avors can also lead to learning how to grow a garden and interest in the environment,” she says. For children in areas where such cooking classes aren’t yet offered, there are still fun ways to involve them in healthy meal preparation. Maggie LaBarbera of San Mateo, California, started her Web-based company
NourishInteractive.com in 2005 after witnessing the harmful effects of teenage obesity when she was an intensive care nurse. It offers educational articles for parents and free downloadable activities that engage children with healthy foods. “Every positive change, no matter
how small, is a step to creating a healthier child,” says LaBarbera. “Together, we can give children the knowledge, facts and skills to develop healthy habits for a lifetime.”
Judith Fertig blogs at AlfrescoFood
AndLifestyle.blogspot.com from Overland Park, KS.
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