The following is a blog from NCSU student Kate Towery. It is the second (read Kate's recap from Week 1) in a series of 5 blogs she will be writing chronicling her experience as a Nutrition Instructor for a OFL Class she is teaching. Kate is teaching OFL as part of a Service Learning Class that has teamed up North Carolina State Students with the Inter Faith Food Shuttle’s OFL/Nutrition Program. Through this partnership the IFFS and NCSU hope to engage students in service learning and community nutrition while expanding the reach of its OFL program.This week in our “Side by Side” class we wanted the kids to try something new and the parents to identify ways in which mealtime could be more budget and kid friendly. I was really excited to make something that I myself had never tried: Jambalaya! Originally calling for barley, we actually used brown rice; the recipe incorporated our nutrition lesson, which stressed the importance of using whole grains and a variety of fruits and vegetables in our diets. Read the recipe here! First, Cadi and Caitlin had the kids sit on the floor with them for a taste test. The participants tried papaya, kiwi, blackberries, whole grain pita bread, and whole grain tortillas. They each shared their favorite out of the bunch, many of which they had never tried before. During this time the parents discussed the pros and cons of frozen, canned, and fresh produce. We compared costs and their nutritional content. We also discussed the benefits of buying seasonal produce. After this we rejoined the two groups and the kids and their parents acted as detectives to follow the “clues” for identifying whole grains on food packages. We also reviewed the importance of a colorful plate and identified which colors benefitted which parts of our bodies, like strong bones, vision, and heart health. After a review of safety guidelines we started our cooking lesson with our chef, Will, and were soon enjoying jambalaya, hummus and homemade whole grain tortilla chips, and veggies. We discussed ways to exercise each week and the kids shared some stories of what activities they had done in the snow last week. Next week we’re looking forward to creating healthy snacks and using some really fun cooking steps!
Nutrition Tips From MyPyramid
- make half of your grains whole
- eat a variety of fruits
- choose orange or dark green veggies
For more information visit www.mypyramid.gov