Paradise greetings,
This week Growing Healthy Kids was all about minigardens. We created small herb minigardens for the kids to take home to Mom, Dad, or Grandma as Christmas presents. These gifts will now add fresh flavors to foods they are cooking at home such as spaghetti, pasta, and salad. We talked about how using fresh herbs instead of salt can help us keep our hearts healthy.
The kids then made Christmas cards to accompany their herb minigarden gifts.
We talked about how easy it will be for the kids to recycle containers now (just add holes, dirt, seeds, and water!) and use them for new minigardens at their apartments and houses. A little container of basil, cilantro, and parsley can add joy and beauty for children - and their families.
We ended our lesson with "delicious and healthy" kid-friendly snacks that anyone can make and the kids loved:
Snack Idea 1: 1/2 sliced yellow delicious apple (I used some from the high school band's fall apple sale fundraiser) with a slice of cheddar cheese
Snack Idea 2: 1/2 sliced yellow delicious apple and a Gogurt
As I was packing up at one of the Boys and Girls Clubs programs, I thanked each of the staff members at the clubhouse. One remarked to me, "The kids were having a blast with you!" That's because it is about having fun with a purpose.
Another staff member followed me outside to the gardens. He had a lot of questions and we talked while the sun was setting as I taught him about basil, picking a basil leaf from one of the plants for him to smell. Breath in the possibilities as we learn how to eat healthier!
Now I need your help...Please let me know your suggestions for "delicious and healthy" snacks for kids that contain calcium, are low-fat, and are high in fiber. We'd love to see if they get the "Growing Healthy Kids" seal of approval!
To your perfect health,
Nancy Heinrich
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids
