With childhood obesity at an all time high in the United States, two New York culinary chefs are touring the country and giving classes to lunch room attendants who prepare meals in public schools. Kate Adamick and Andrea Martin are staunch proponents of healthy eating habits and emphasize cooking fresh foods from scratch and staying away from deep-fried and processed dishes. Their food boot camp shows how to prepare cauliflower and lentils--and actually make the dishes appealing to kids.
"The issue is not that kids won't eat it. The issue is, the adults think the kids won't eat it. And it is almost universal that we see the kids really do eat it," said Adamick, who co-hosts a show on the Food Network.
In this video, watch as the chefs visit a Denver area high school to teach the art of preparing healthy cuisines, and innovative cooking techniques that will move students to a path toward healthier lifestyles.
Quotes
"We have to be careful about what we are putting in our bodies and what the kids are getting in their bodies." -Janice Adams, lunchroom attendant
"The Centers for Disease Control says that one-third to one-half of our children born since the year 2000 will acquire type 2 diabetes in their lifetime." -Chef Kate Adamick
"The Centers for Disease Control says that this is the first generation in American history to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents, because of diet-related illness." -Chef Kate Adamick
Warm Up Questions
1. What is your idea of a healthy lunch?
2. Give an example of a food that is not very healthy.
3. Do the students at your school bring their own lunch, or eat the cafeteria food? What do students generally have for lunch?
Discussion Questions
1. Why is it important to eat freshly prepared foods as opposed to processed foods?
2. What are some meals that are prepared in your lunchroom that you enjoy to eat? Are the most popular foods healthy?
3. Why is it hard to prepare healthy foods that students will eat? What are some of the barriers to having healthy school lunches and breakfasts?
4. What are some healthy meals you would like to have prepared in your school lunchroom?
Additional Resources
Report Says Many Youths Are 'Too Fat to Fight'
Michelle Obama’s Plan to End Childhood Obesity
Mississippi Wages Fried Food Fight Against Childhood Obesity
