There’s an AP story up today about the way one program in New Hampshire is motivating students to eat healthier. The program, called Early Sprouts and developed by Keene State College, works on the observation that kids are more likely to eat their vegetables if they have a hand in growing them.
In the 24-week program, kids learn how to grow vegetables and then engage in a sensory exploration of the vegetable before cooking it and eating it. The creators of the program have noticed that when students go through the program, they are far more likely to try new vegetables, and even enjoy them. So far the program has spread to about 10 preschools across the state, according to the article, but with childhood obesity becoming a growing concern across the nation, I think programs like these are going to become increasingly important.
Fighting obesity and staying healthy is a lifestyle choice, and it seems to me like this program could have some far-reaching effects on the way that kids view food and their relationship to it.