“Healthy Waltham: How a community takes charge” |
| Healthy Waltham: How a community takes charge Posted: 18 Dec 2010 03:04 PM PST There's that saying that it takes a village to raise a child. I think it takes a whole community to raise a healthy child. Not all children have the same resources for healthy food education. When we hear about rising childhood obesity rates, do we care if it does not pertain to our child? Should we? Some people do. Let me tell you about some wonderful collaborations that are happening in Waltham to make it a more "Healthy Waltham," especially for children. In our school system: Three years ago, Healthy Waltham and the Waltham Public Schools were awarded a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to help address childhood obesity. Looking for ways we could encourage kids to eat healthier, Waltham Public Schools Food Service Director Rhonda Spigel, started the Vegetable of the Month Program. A vegetable is chosen each month and then it is made several ways and served to all the students. For some of the students, it may be the first time they are trying that vegetable. December's Vegetable of the Month is the Waltham Butternut Squash and yes, it really is called that because it was developed here in Waltham at the old Waltham Field Station. A team consisting of food service staff members and a chef (me) created Waltham Butternut Squash bisque, a healthy soup which was served in all school cafeterias this past Wednesday. The recipe is going to be entered in The USDA's "Recipes for Healthy Kids Challenge," which is a nation-wide school lunch recipe contest, and part of First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move!" initiative. In our community: This fall, Hannaford Supermarket in Waltham started supporting the Vegetable of the Month Program with a display in the produce department to help encourage the consumption of the school vegetable at home. If a child happens to see the display, it is a great way to have a teaching moment and ask the child if he or she tasted it at school and then try it at home. Parents of elementary aged students can even pick up valuable education materials and coupons at Hannaford's customer service desk to make healthy choices easy at home. Hannaford Supermarkets has been extremely generous supplying the food for my cooking classes for the past three years. They have been committed in helping educate children about healthy eating. The Waltham Fields Community Farm has also been very generous, sending all kinds of vegetables to my classes. We've even made kale potato soup from vegetables grown right here on Beaver Sreet and the students loved it! On January 15, 2011, Healthy Waltham will be serving the Waltham Butternut Squash Bisque at the Waltham Hannaford, 55 Russell Street, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. if you would like to stop by and taste the soup. In city government: Mayor Jeannette McCarthy has announced that the City of Waltham is joining "Let's Move Cities and Towns." This is part of the "Let's Move!" program initiated by First Lady Michelle Obama to fight child obesity. To become part of "Let's Move Cities and Towns," a community has to agree to work together to tackle the challenge of childhood obesity by helping parents make healthy family choices, creating healthy schools, providing access to healthy foods and promoting physical activity. For more information about "Let's Move!" visit www.letsmove.gov, and read our future columns here for more on "Let's Move Waltham!" Your home and family: The last collaboration is a very important one and that is your home and family. As an adult you have the purchase power to choose which foods you will buy for your family. I understand the pressure children can put on you and tell you what they want you to buy, but you have the power to make a change. Reclaim that power! I know that sometimes children pick the wrong time to ask to help prepare a meal. You're rushing, the family is waiting to eat and someone has to be driven to dance or sports. When learning to cook, children can be painfully slow even peeling a carrot so you have to give them time. Try to find a block of time when they can help you when you are not under pressure, and start early to prepare the food. Most children really do want to help, and studies have shown that children who help prepare the meal will eat better. When they have invested their own time and efforts in the preparation of the meal, they are willing eaters. In my cooking class, "Kitchen etc.," I teach the children how to set the table. I'm sad to say some children don't even know what that means, because they eat in front of the television every night. After we have cooked in class we sit down and have a family-style meal together and discuss the day or what has been going on in their lives. This is so vital! Children need to emulate you eating good food as well as good communication skills in a family. It may take a village to raise a child but you and our Waltham community together can raise plenty of healthy children. Leslie Glynn is a chef consultant and instructor for Healthy Waltham and the Waltham Public Schools. A Waltham resident with two children in the public schools, Leslie has helped hundreds of children (and adults) find new ways to prepare and enjoy healthy foods. For more information about Healthy Waltham, please visit www.healthy-waltham.org. "Healthy Waltham" is a monthly column in the Waltham News Tribune. Send feedback to newstribune@cnc.com. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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