We have been working on this project for almost two years now which has changed and evolved and I am delighted with our progress. I have three educators that have been creating content for kids and parents to enjoy together. There is an opportunity amongst home schoolers and the generally bored to engage in new ways…
Dear Friends ~
This past Saturday could not have been nicer at the Noe Valley Farmers Market. It was a little quieter than usual, likely due to the fact that it was a holiday weekend. The weather was sunny and there was a light breeze from the west.. Conditions could not have been better...
This was an important day for me as this was the first time I have had prototypes in the hands of kids for me to observe. While it was fun and games for this kids, it was an experiment for me.
The good news? Feedback was positive!
Introducing kids to beans, rice and pistachio nuts is a great way to teach a few basic concepts about plant germination.
This little one was intrigued by the Black Rice.
Per Wikipedia, "Black rice is known as chak-hao in Manipur, where desserts made from black rice are served at major feasts."
How cool is that?!Malbec, Purple Haze, Yellowstone and the common Orange Carrot.
Grown in Fresno by this friendly Farmer.
In June, we are working on an exciting activity to pair up for the July break
(pssst.. it involves a free coloring page & coloring contest with prizes).
~~~Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for news and updates~~~
on this and other cool activities that you can do this summer.
In good health,
Meagan
Founder, Make Our Kids Healthy Again
It’s fitting that I’m mentioning peas in my blog this month. One of the goals for Make Our Kids Healthy is to reduce our carbon footprint and build a greener future. There is a clear link between adapting to a plant-based diet (more peas!) and also reducing food waste. A recent landmark report released by The Lancet medical journal and nonprofit EAT sheds even more light on how eating more plants (yay peas!) can make a positive impact.
I don’t think I need to keep mentioning peas to get your attention with this next data point. According to the report, around the globe almost 1 billion people are hungry, and almost 2 billion people are eating too much of the wrong food. There is something seriously faulty within our food systems and also within our current beliefs and practices around our diet. Numbers like that can be overwhelming, but knowing that we can even make a small impact within our own families gives me some hope.
According to the report, food production is the largest cause of global environmental change. Food production is responsible for up to 30% of global greenhouse-gas emissions, and 70% of freshwater use. The need for dietary shift is obvious, specifically moving toward a plant-based diet. The report even gave specifics to support this - positive environmental impact can be made by reducing red-meat consumption by at least 50%, and increasing consumption more than 100% is needed for legumes, nuts, fruit, and vegetables. And peas, more peas.
The changes needed vary by region, but the message across the board is the same - moving to a more plant based diet will have a positive environmental impact.
We all have an important role in this effort - whether it’s making a small change within your family, helping to increase public knowledge of diets from sustainable food systems, or contributing to social movements to shift diets or reduce food waste. If you want to be part of the movement, follow Make Our Kids Healthy on Instagram and Facebook. Share our pages with your community, your friends, and your family. We’ll be sharing regular updates on how you can get involved and learn more about embracing a plant-based diet with your children, and eat more peas, of course.
Eat your peas,
Meagan
One of the primary goals of Make Our Kids Healthy Again is to reduce childhood obesity through the introduction of plant-rich diets in our educational curriculum. Plant-rich diets reduce future risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer. These diseases account for $1 Trillion in annual healthcare costs and lost productivity.
A report from OCED in 2017 found that in the united states, 38.2% of americans are considered obese. The rate for children age 3-17 is 20%. Comparatively, the rate of obesity for children in France is 5%.
When I first read these numbers, I was shocked. I was compelled to think back to my time as a child: How was I fed? How did my parents and educators talk to me about food? How has the food industry changed? Our relationship with food has changed, as well as our relationship with the environment.
As I continue to develop the curriculum for Make Our Kids Healthy Again, I keep these statistics in mind. The program focuses on a plant based diet, which will lead to overall healthier eating habits, better nutrition, and a better understanding of where our food comes from, how it was processed, and how it landed on our table. There is a lot that happens between when the food leaves the farm to when it lands on the table.
Make Our Kids Healthy Again can help change our relationship with food, which will ultimately impact the environment. It will help the entire family have a plan and stay mindful around what we put in our body, how it is processed, and its impact on the environment. Every small step you take, even something as small as focusing on a plant based diet, will empower you to make a positive impact.
In good health,
Meagan
Reading the book Drawdown was a game-changer for me, and ultimately is what led me to launch Make Our Kids Healthy Again in 2018. If you’ve never heard about it before, Drawdown is a resource guide on the most impactful things we can do to reduce our carbon emissions on this planet.
It’s easy to fear what global warming is going to do and be. There aren’t a lot of organizations that are putting out solutions that were actionable. Drawdown is unique in that it lays out solutions that we can actually implement - and that is empowering.
I am all about action, big and small. Here are 4 lessons I learned from Drawdown in 2018 that I plan to take with me into 2019 through Make Our Kids Healthy Again.
Yes, there are things we can do as individuals to impact global warming. It’s very easy to get caught up in the negativity of global warming and just how BIG the problem it - it affects everyone on this planet. It’s overwhelming, and a lot of people will just shut down and ignore it, or simply refuse to deal with it. Big change starts with us, and we as a human race will have to deal with it eventually. Start now.
Meaningful change requires individual action as well as policy change at the government level. Individuals taking action is critical for accountability. However governments have a big responsibility as well. Take off-shore and on-shore wind farms for example. As much as I’d love the ability to go implement a wind-farm, as an individual I don’t have the power or capacity to do so. Governments have to step in to help support that infrastructure.
Global warming is not pass or fail. We could get by with a solid B and be just fine. People see or hear that we can’t reverse the damage that has been done. That is not an excuse for completely disregarding the damaging impact of fossil fuels. By doing even the minimum and making some small effort we give ourselves and the planet some credit.
Our actions to reduce global warming are connected to each other.The different things we do cascade onto another. For example, reducing food waste makes us mindful about what we’re eating. That mindfulness will cascade and have an impact on other areas - there is a multiplying effect when it comes to global warming.
2019 is the year of action. For me, leveraging these lessons learned is just the start of making a difference in the world. I hope you will join me in a year of positive change, big and small.
Learn more around what you can do to make an impact on global warming through a plant based diet with your entire family by following us on Facebookand Instagram.
In good health,
Meagan
Last month, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Center for Urban Education and Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA) and its Foodwise Kids program. Foodwise Kids is an immersive educational program available free to public school grades 1 through 5 that takes place at the San Francisco Ferry Building Famers Market on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 12:30 pm or 10:45 am to 1:15 pm. Bay Area educators can sign up here to participate.
Now, I have never been in front of a group of students before as an educator and I was nervous! I shadowed Chef Sarah (that’s what the volunteers are called, Chef not Sarah) for a day back in September. She made it look so easy!
Since I am creating an education program that introduces plant-based foods to kids, I took notes of tips they offered!
One tip that I learned, when introducing new foods to a group of students, the “Don’t yuck my yum” rule can work wonders! Sweet Peppers were on the menu so each student got to try a cooked slice and a fresh slice. Half of the students had never tried Sweet Peppers before so setting that ground rule was important to ensure everyone would not be judged. It also teaches manners and respecting others in a civilized setting.
Most students liked one more than the other. A couple students really didn’t like the cooked one, which they respectfully threw in the compost bin. One student that had never tried Sweet Peppers loved the raw one. He said that he was going to ask his parents for this as a snack.Mission accomplished!
Personal preferences to foods are diverse. Added to that, sugars and processing of many foods we find in our homes today, it is important to recognize that adopting more fruits and vegetables is a process.
After we finished the sampling, I got to take the students to the Farmer’s Market where we collected our own basket of goodies to prepare a couple snacks.
Our menu of items…
Broccoli
Strawberries
Butter Lettuce
Apple
The students decided we should make a salad with the strawberries and lettuce. We roasted the broccoli and the apple got a dash of cinnamon. All great and healthful snacks that can be made by the students with minimal help from an adult. They all seemed to enjoy the preparation work, which did involve safety knives. The students took their jobs very seriously. Chopping the lettuce and removing the stems from the berries, seemed to be a fun project.
The kids took turns seasoning the Broccoli with pepper, salt and olive oil. Later the kids decided to name their Broccoli dish “Broccoli Man” for the cool hair Broccoli has. What a rad moment!
My takeaways from the event....
Kids are smart and they love to be engaged with new educational mediums with their friends.
They also love trying new things when given the opportunity and engagement with energetic educators and parents.
Even if that means trying Broccoli.
Peace Out!
Meagan
