DISTRICT UPDATES
By Leslie Beach Director of Food and Nutrition Services New Albany Floyd Schools ENCOURAGING HEALTHY EATING HABITS THROUGH PROMOTIONS
We all know that one of the best ways a food service department can get kids excited and increase their participation in breakfast & lunch is to run promotions. That being said, promotions shouldn’t just be about decorations and special treats. There are immense opportunities to promote healthy eating habits while still having fun! A traveling chef program is a terrific way to have students of all ages participate in healthy eating, discover new types of foods, and perform fundamental cooking skills, in a short time frame that can fit into a normal school day. We are currently “traveling” to our schools and working with Pre-K. We like to think introducing new foods at this time can have a great impact on their willingness to try something new. As the program evolves, we will begin working with older students where induction cooktops will come into play. These students will learn about different cooking methods, become more comfortable with the preparation of food, and acquire knowledge of the components we offer in our lunch lines and why they are so important. During these brief cooking lessons, we will discuss different aspects of the meals they are preparing, including nutrition, different cooking applications, and how some of the foods we are most resistant to can actually be really delicious! We are a generation geared towards convenience, and a countless number of us do not possess basic cooking skills or knowledge of the vast array of different fruits and vegetables that exist. This doesn’t mean you have to give up pizza, but maybe you add some extra veggies on top or blend some into the sauce! Knowledge is power, and when it comes to health and nutrition it, unfortunately, is not always an educational priority for school-aged children. As a food service department, we relish the opportunity to take on a portion of this role and share the knowledge we have. This is the perfect opportunity for us to show our skills and open the door for students to ask us questions and seek out more nutritional information. Not to mention increasing participation and grabbing healthier options while they are going through our lunch lines or at home with their families.
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