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Give
kids foodie summer things to do
June 23, 05
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
For
those of you with kids, be prepared this summer when they
say there’s nothing to do.
This year’s extra-long summer vacation is a good opportunity
for kids to work on building life skills related to diet and
health.
A lot of activities kids can take part in now are harder to
fit in regularly during the busy school year.
Suggestions that top the list:
* Reading. Take kids to the library for beginner’s books
about food and nutrition. Some 9-12 year olds may enjoy “Food
Rules! The Stuff You Munch, Its Crunch, Its Punch, and Why
You Sometimes Lose Your Lunch” by Bill Haduch (Puffin,
2001). The U.S. Department of Agriculture also provides a
book list for kids at http://www.nal.usda.gov/Kids/foodbks.htm.
Some teens may be interested in “A Teen’s Guide
to Going Vegetarian” by Judy Krizmanic (Viking, 1994).
* Farming. Small scale. Plant some seeds or pick up small
tomato and pepper plants and let kids plant and tend to a
single plant or a small garden patch. Give them full responsibility
for planting, watering, weeding, and watching their food grow.
* Shopping. Take kids to the farmers’ market and the
grocery store and let them pick out ears of corn, melons and
tomatoes. Keep a grocery list on the refrigerator and ask
kids to add to it when they see there’s a need.
* Planning and preparing meals. I’ve discussed it in
past columns, but it bears repeating. Kids who have a hand
in planning and preparing meals are more likely to eat the
foods they fix. Young kids can shuck corn, shell peas, and
help to make a green salad. Older kids can set the table and
help prepare more of the meal.
* Eating independently. Summer is a good time for kids and
teens to be in charge of fixing their own breakfasts, lunches
and snacks. Cereal, toast, fresh fruit and PBJ sandwiches
are a good start. It also helps to have some easy, kid-friendly
foods on hand: frozen fruit bars, sliced melon, low-fat microwave
popcorn, prewashed celery and carrot sticks, bagels, frozen
bean burritos, frozen waffles and heat-and-serve veggie burger
patties.
Summer is also a time kids can learn about food through volunteer
activities. Food banks throughout the state are one option.
The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina holds
a special Kids Day once a month at its Raleigh warehouse headquarters.
Kids ages 5 to 12 can come with an adult for a two-hour program
that includes an hour of learning about the food bank and
another hour helping with a chore.
“We do something simple, usually bagging sweet potatoes,”
said Rachel Crosby, volunteer services manager.
Older kids can come individually or as a group Tuesday through
Saturday for two to three hour shifts if they set it up ahead
of time and come with an adult, according to Crosby. Work
involves sorting food donated by grocery stores, bagging sweet
potatoes – the food bank receives 100,000 pounds every
couple of weeks – repackaging bulk foods such as pasta
and cleaning the warehouse.
“The main thing about volunteering at a food bank is
you have an immediate impact in the community,” said
Crosby. “What they process today will be distributed
the following day or shortly thereafter. People at risk of
hunger will be within a few days eating that food.”
For more information, contact Crosby by phone at 919-875-0707.
Branch locations include Durham, Southern Pines, Greenville,
and Wilmington. Other food banks throughout the state can
be located online at http://www.americassecondharvest.org.
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