‘Cooks for Kids’ promotes healthier eating and involves everyone
OXFORD, Miss. – Nearly one-third of American children are
overweight or are at risk of becoming so; however, the
childhood obesity epidemic can be corrected by making
significant changes in eating habits and lifestyles,
according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services.
Because reversing the rapid rise in obesity among American
youth requires an approach that includes schools, families
and communities, the National Food Service Management
Institute at the University of Mississippi set out to prove
that healthful and great tasting food for children can and
should be served by everyone.
The result is “Cooks for Kids,” a satellite training
program launched last fall that celebrates healthy eating
and highlights best cooking practices used in schools
across the country, including Mississippi. The nine-episode
series focuses on the responsibility of families, schools
and restaurants to offer healthful food choices for
children to combat childhood obesity.
“Obesity may be a personal issue, but it adversely affects
everyone,” said Charlotte Oakley, NFSMI executive director.
“We all bear the responsibility of helping to promote
healthier eating, especially for our children.”
Each episode offers best practice tips on preparing
healthful, child-friendly meals. Programs in the series
that have already aired via satellite can be viewed online
at http://www.nfsmi.org/ and on some PBS stations. Handouts
for each program and a schedule of upcoming episodes are
also available online.
Remaining programs, to air via satellite the second
Thursdays in March, April and May, include “Celebrate
Breakfast” March 13, to mark National School Breakfast
Week, March 3-7. For the episode, the NFSMI team traveled
to California to highlight the food service staff at
Ventura Unified School, which is noted for serving
healthful, fresh foods and demonstrating best food
preparation practices.
“‘Cooks for Kids’ focuses on what we as professionals can
do in supporting healthy eating for children,” said Sandy
Currwood, director of child nutrition services of the
Ventura Unified School District. “We live in a time of
widespread availability of food options and choices, so
it’s up to us to support healthy eating and encourage
active living for our children. It’s our responsibility,
too.”
“Spring Salads,” slated to air April 10, focuses on ways to
prepare salads as a side dish or as a main course and
features a school that inspires its students with a school
garden. The last program in the series, “Wrap it up with
Wraps,” airs May 8.
Previous episodes, which are available by webcast, are
“Succulent Side Dishes,” “Pizzas with Pizzazz,” “Sumptuous
Soups,” “Healthy Whole Grain Breads,” “Perfect Pasta” and
“Fruits Go Back to School.”
Funded by a grant to UM from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, the series focuses on healthful food and
cooking techniques not only at school but also in
restaurants and at home. Cooks can learn how to incorporate
locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables into meals at
school and at home, plus pick up on methods used by
restaurant culinary professionals to produce foods that are
flavorful, nutritious and appealing to children and the
entire family.
“‘Cooks for Kids’ is not just aimed at school cooks but to
parents, restaurants or anyone who desires to cook great
tasting healthy food for their family,” Oakley said.
Contrary to popular belief, the school nutrition
program did not create the childhood obesity
epidemic, Oakley added.
“School programs are addressing the problem and
striving to meet standards,” she said. “Our job is
to tell their story and support their efforts of
providing only healthy food at school.
“With this series, we send a message to schools,
parents and communities that the school system
cannot correct all obesity problems. We all have to
work together.”
Amy Casteel, NFSMI lead school meals specialist,
agreed.
“Training is our focus,” Casteel said. “We simply want to
get best cooking practices and preparation, plus
information on menu planning and nutrition, to the public.
We encourage school nutrition personnel to share our
information with PTOs, PTAs or even their favorite
restaurant.”
It’s this integrated look at a child’s total eating
experience that makes “Cooks for Kids” unique. The programs
demonstrate how everyone can and should work together to
address childhood obesity, Casteel said.
“That’s why NFSMI invites all food service assistants, food
service managers, food service directors, state agency
staff and parents to view the satellite seminar,” she said.
“It doesn’t matter to us if you view the training video by
satellite or Web. It does matter to us that you use the
information provided. We want cooks to make the most of the
series by sharing the healthy food trends from the video
with family, schools, friends and everyone.”
For more information about NFSMI, go to http://www.nfsmi.org/.