I Tried a New Fruit and Vegetable!

By:

 

 

After Lacey Baxter, a Healthy Eating Specialist at Whole Foods, lead our students through 3 nutrition and cooking demonstration classes in October, November and December, our students were surprisingly very eager to try new fruits and vegetables.

 

Students have enjoyed:

Class 1   "Eating the Rainbow"

               Eating fruits and vegetables in all colors of the rainbow to maximize getting a variety 

               of nutrients and vitamins

Class 2   "Making Healthy Pizzas"

                Learning to make a healthy pizza with fresh vegetables

                (with basil and tomatoes from our garden)

Class 3  "Making Healthy Smoothies"

                Adding healthy vegetables and fruits in smoothies

               (with kale from our garden)

 

 

 

 

Students are given the opportunity to taste fruits and vegetables from our garden!

 

             

Students are not too sure they will like the persimmon from our persimmon tree in the butterfly garden. After their first taste, they were begging for more.

 

 

Most of the students had already eaten broccoli aka "trees". The kale was a new vegetable for most.

 

They didn't want to leave any broccoli behind!

 

To encourage students to continue trying new fruits and vegetables at home, we gave our students an "I tried a new fruit and vegetable!" flyer to take home and document their new tastings.

 

 

 

After they have tried a new fruit and a new vegetable, they turn their flyer in and receive a spotted ticket. 
          

 

The spotted tickets are placed in the grade level cans which are located in the cafeteria. Weekly drawings are held and students receive small prizes. Announcements are also made by the principal to recognize students that are trying new fruits and vegetables.

 

Some of the new fruits students have tried are:

kiwi, pear, star fruit, cherries, papaya, pineapple and pomegranate.

 

New vegetables are:

kale, celery, tomato, sugar snap peas, red bell pepper, cauliflower, eggplant, zuchinni, green beans, broccoli and spinach.

 

Parents are remarking about their child's eagerness to try new fruits and vegetables. Mission accomplished! Happy eating COLTS!