Program Summary

Fizzy and his crew are on a mission to halt the children's obesity epidemic by serving up a fun mix of nutrition info, healthy eating tips, and simple recipes. Fizzy hopes to empower children and parents to take control of their food choices by spending more time in the kitchen and less time in the Drive-through.

Learning Goals:

Nutrition concepts are not as complicated as people think! Often, families lack proper information about the basic rules to a healthy lifestyle. Fizzy’s goal is to provide an informative overview of food and nutrition topics with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Most researchers agree that a diet rich in fruits and veggies are the key to healthy nutrition, avoidance of obesity, and disease prevention.

To fulfill this goal, Fizzy's Lunch Lab will:

• Create a positive change in the current state of childhood nutrition.
• Encourage daily physical activity and exercise.
• Promote basic nutrition & portion-size, eating three meals a day (especially a good breakfast), and family meal-time interactions.

The Lunch Lab will provide practical and positive examples of healthy eating and regular exercise within the framework of an entertaining format. Our advisory board, which includes a specialist in diabetes and metabolic diseases, a university educator in the field of health education, and a team of seasoned food writers, will assure that the information provided meets scientific and educational goals. By relying on our advisory team as well as the national standards set by the USDA, we will ensure that in addition to being fun, the Lunch Lab website will be educational for children, parents, and teachers.

About Our Advisors

Dr. Craig Sussman, Health and Nutrition Advisor
Craig Sussman, MD is a graduate of the Temple University School of Medicine and is a board certified specialist in internal medicine and/metabolism. He is currently an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Vanderbilt University in the divisions of general internal medicine and endocrinology, diabetes, & metabolism. His research has been in the area of reversible causes for high blood pressure. He is an expert in all aspects of nutrition as it affects health.

Dr. Sharon Shields, Education Advisor
Sharon Shields, Ph.D. is a graduate of Peabody College (Vandebilt University) and studied in the area of exercise physiology and community health. She is currently a Professor of the Practice of Human and Organizational Development at Vanderbilt University and teaches health and human services courses. In addition, she is the Director of the Community Development and Action Master’s Degree Program. Her area of research is in community health access and delivery.

Sally Sampson, Food Advisor
Ms. Sampson is the author of over 15 cookbooks including: Souped Up! (Simon and Schuster, 2003), The James Beard Award Nominated Fifty Dollar Dinner Party (Simon and Schuster, 1998), and co-author of The Diet Workshop’s Recipes for Healthy Living (Doubleday, 1995). Ms. Sampson has contributed to Self, Bon Appetit, Food and Wine, The Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, Slammed, Mode, and Fine Cooking. She was the Editor-in-Chief of Balducci.com and a Senior Writer for Cooks Illustrated Magazine.

Kris Widican, MS, RD
Kris Widican is a registered dietitian, chef, and writer who specializes in culinary nutrition. As proprietor of KW Cuisine, she consults with independent food and beverage operators, industry groups, and non-profits on a variety of recipe development, menu planning, and nutrition communication projects. Kris also teaches healthy cooking and nutrition classes and is a test cook and writer for Cook’s Country magazine at America’s Test Kitchen. She is a graduate of Barnard College, Columbia University, the Culinary Institute of America, and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.

Bryan Roof, RD, LDN
Bryan Roof is a chef, registered dietitian, writer, and proprietor of Fancy-Sauce Culinary Consultants. As a graduate of Johnson and Wales University and Framingham State College, he has refined his kitchen skills at many award-winning restaurants, and completed dietetic internships at Tufts University and Share Our Strength, among others. For the past three years, Bryan has worked as a Test Cook and Associate Editor at America’s Test Kitchen, where he’s authored recipes and feature articles for Cook’s Illustrated magazine, several cookbooks (including a soon-to-be-published cookbook about healthier eating), and the company’s top-rated PBS cooking show.