News & Views on Child Nutrition
For Parents, Educators, and Health Professionals
by Connie Evers, MS, RD
Issue 27, Nov/Dec 1999
IN THIS ISSUE:
* TEACHER TIP: Cooking With Kids
* ASK CONNIE: Putting the Brakes on Drive-Through Eating
* FOR KIDS ONLY: Not so fast... Make a game plan for eating out
* NEWS IN BRIEF
TEACHER TIP: Cooking With Kids When it comes to teaching children about nutrition, the most direct route may be through the stomach! Nutrition education takes on a whole new life when combined with cooking projects. Children are more willing to try new healthful foods while nutrition principles taught in the classroom become more relevant (and tasty too). Best of all, cooking in school can be a whole lot of fun!
WHY COOK WITH KIDS?
As children become more self-reliant at an earlier age, a "teachable moment" exists for strengthening food-related life skills. Children are increasingly the caretakers of their own nutrition. In one survey, 87 percent of the fourth through eighth graders sampled said that they cook or make some of their own meals. Eighty-three percent said they sometimes prepare their own snacks and eight out of ten sometimes cook or make their own breakfast. Children who don't know how to cook often rely on packaged foods of questionable nutritional quality. With the advent of ultra-convenience foods, some food experts worry that we are raising a generation of non-cooks, skilled only in using the microwave to heat ready-prepared food.For this growing number of youngsters, nutrition education can really work when concepts are practical and applied, emphasizing skills like sanitation, safe food handling, and basic food preparation skills. Kids who are on their own for meals can immediately translate their nutrition knowledge into healthful eating behavior. Cooking projects give children a boost in confidence, exposure to new and/or healthful foods and often provide the curiosity and motivation needed to continue cooking at home.
ORGANIZING COOKING PROJECTS
One way to efficiently run a classroom cooking project is to organize an assembly line. Using a long table or salad bar, line up the ingredients for such items as rolled burritos, stuffed pita sandwiches or fresh fruit kebabs (see table below for other ideas). If you utilize this method, make sure there is at least one adult at the beginning and end of the line. Just before starting through the line, students should put on clean plastic gloves.For cooking projects that require heating or baking, line large baking trays with parchment paper. Ask students to place finished items on the tray and lightly pencil their initials on the paper below the food. Allow plenty of room between food items.
In situations where students will prepare food at their desk, assign three or four adult volunteers and/or students to hand out food and utensils. Those passing out supplies should practice good hygiene and always wear clean plastic gloves (see sanitation guidelines below).
Regardless of the type of activity or location, managing cooking projects with a classroom of children requires more than one adult. Solicit the assistance of a teacher aide or parent volunteer(s).
KEEPING IT CLEAN AND SAFE
Cooking lessons offer an opportunity for children to learn the importance of safe food handling. Be sure to reinforce the following points with staff, parent volunteers, and students.Proper Handwashing is Vital!
Demonstrate to students the techniques for proper handwashing. Thoroughly scrub all surfaces of the hands and nails with soap, rinse with warm water, and dry with clean paper towels. The factor most important in producing clean hands is time. Encourage students to scrub hands for the duration of the "A-B-C song" (about 30 seconds).
If the restroom is used for handwashing prior to handling food, prop the door open. Otherwise, students will touch the bacteria-covered doorknob on their way out.
Remind students to wash hands after using the restroom, touching their face, hair, or neighbor, blowing their nose or sneezing, and after handling raw meat, chicken, eggs, or fish.
Provide a Sanitary Work Surface for Handling Food
Desks or tables should be cleared, cleaned, and covered with clean butcher paper or a vinyl placemat or tablecloth. Wash and sanitize all work surfaces, cutting boards, and utensils after they have come into contact with raw meat, fish, poultry, or eggs.
Emphasize Safety With Knives and Equipment
Before allowing children to begin work on food projects, demonstrate the proper use of knives and equipment. Advise students to always cut towards their table or desk and away from their hands. Any equipment, even plastic serrated knives, toothpicks, or wooden skewers, can be dangerous if handled improperly. Promptly remove students who are behaving in a reckless manner with tools or equipment.
Always wear pot holders when handling hot items. Allow trays and pans to cool before passing out food to students.
Safe Food Handling
Time your projects so that foods do not sit at room temperature for more than two hours. The "danger zone" for rapid bacterial growth is between 40-140 degrees fahrenheit, i.e. room temperature. Pick up foods from the kitchen right before you begin the project and return leftovers upon completion. Do not allow students to "save" perishable foods to eat later in the day. Don't sample food products prepared with raw eggs. Even one tasty spoonful of cookie batter could harbor dangerous bacteria. Recipes that call for raw eggs, such as eggnog or homemade ice milk, should use an egg substitute which has been pasteurized.
HEALTHFUL COOKING ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS Preparing the following food items gives children a chance to create a unique recipe, choosing the amounts and types of ingredients they need as they pass through the line.
ASK CONNIE: Putting the Brakes on Drive-Through Eating Q. Even though I try to put healthy, balanced meals on the table, our schedule is so hectic that we end up eating fast food several times each week. Is there any way around this?
A. Frequent trips through the drive-through can take a toll on a family's health. The typical fast food kid's meal is high in fat and falls short of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Janice Stuff, PhD, RD, Assistant Professor at the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, <http://www.bcm.tmc.edu/cnrc/> recommends using a multiple approach to the problem of rushed eating. "Plan ahead for these rushed times, taking advantage of the time when your family is not hurried," she said.
Stuff recommends preparing "quick grab" foods such as a container of fruit sections or raw sliced vegetables that can easily be paired with a sandwich of tuna, cheese or lean turkey. A plastic bag of dried fruit can easily be stirred into yogurt or sprinkled on cereal. Another strategy is to make extra when you prepare favorite dishes and freeze ahead for later use.
Kids will learn to appreciate family mealtime more when they are involved in the process. Set a goal for kids to plan, cook and serve one meal each week. Plan and shop for the meal during the slow time of the week, suggests Stuff.
The good news about fast food dining is that restaurants are beginning to offer more healthful choices and provide, upon request, detailed information on the nutritional makeup of their menus. When treating your family to fast food, keep in mind the following pointers:
Set a goal to eat fast food just once each week.
Look for broiled chicken or fish as opposed to deep-fried chicken nuggets or fish patties. When ordering a burger, hold the high-fat extras such as cheese and bacon.
Avoid those enticing extra-large or "super" sizes.
Exercise "condiment control." A big source of fat comes from mayo, tartar sauce, and other high fat sauces.
Opt for 1% milk or 100% fruit juice instead of soda pop.
Choose salads whenever possible. Ask for reduced calorie or fat-free salad dressing.
If you over indulge in a fatty fast-food meal, be sure to balance your food choices during the remainder of the day.
FOR KIDS ONLY: Not so fast ... Make a game plan for eating out Planning ahead is the key to choosing healthier meals at fast food restaurants. The nutrition advice in the box below will help you to plan a more balanced meal. For each menu that you plan, try to stay within the calorie, fat, and food group guidelines.
Menu Planning Guidelines
600-800 total calories for one meal
20-27 grams of fat for one meal
At least three food groups represented in each mealFACTS TO KNOW:
Many restaurants publish the nutrition information for the food items they serve. To get a copy, all you need to do is ask. You can also find nutrition information for many fast food restaurants online.
If you choose a meal that is high in fat or calories, be sure to balance your food choices during the rest of the day.
Example:
345
13
Meat, Grain, Dairy
27
0
Vegetable
110
3
Grain
139
6
Grain (fats/oils)
621
22
4 different groups
RESTAURANT:
Taco Bell
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Note: This activity is taken from the Leader/Activity Guide: A hands-on guide filled with delicious learning. For more information, visit http://nutritionforkids.com/lead-act.htm
NEWS IN BRIEF Is your neighborhood "walkable?" Find out by visiting the "Partnership for a Walkable America" website at http://www.nsc.org/walk/wkcheck.htm. Complete the checklist and find out more about how families can safely walk their wayto better health.
Children and adolescents are not getting enough calcium, according to a new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The full text of the article can be found at http://www.aap.org/policy/re9904.html
© 1999, by Connie Evers, All Rights Reserved. There is a modest reprint fee for reproducing the material in this newsletter in either print or electronic publications. Please send an email to reprint@nutritionforkids.com for details and rates.
*The information contained in this newsletter is not intended as a substitute for medical and/or nutrition advice. See your physician and/or registered dietitian for individual health and/or dietary concerns*.
Connie Evers, MS, RD, is the author of How to Teach Nutrition to Kids, the companion LEADER/ACTIVITY guide and a number of additional resources located at http://nutritionforkids.com.
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Did you know that Connie is available to speak at state and national conferences on child nutrition topics? Email her at connie@nutritionforkids.com to discuss.
