From the top, red pepper, carrots, zucchini sticks, cucumbers,cheddar cauliflower, cooked broccoli, raw broccoli and grapes (I needed something purple!)
I used a blue platter for the blue and purple grapes. Making beets or cooking blue potatoes wasn’t in the cards that morning. They all helped decide in which order the vegetables were placed. Their enthusiasm was contagious!
I then went around and asked each child which veggies they would like along with some ranch dip. Some wanted all; some only wanted a few. There were 4 tables of 5 and by the time I was serving the second table, the first one was done and asking for more. I asked them to wait patiently until I finished serving everyone.
So here was a room of 5 and 6 year olds inhaling (and I’m not exaggerating) fresh, mostly organic, vegetables. My son even tried the red pepper (but still doesn’t like them). As parents, we sometimes think that giving children treats and cupcakes is fun for them. Be assured, these children did not even ask where dessert was that day. In fact, they hounded me for more! This was even after their snack.
I hope this post is inspiring to you. I may not be able to change the world but if I can help just a few people, I’ll be happy. Leave a comment if you like this. Thanks!
Hey Ames,
Thomas’s last day is next Tuesday. You’ve inspired me to try the same thing. Thanks for the great idea!
Miss you,
Christine
Hi Amy,
Yeay you! 🙂 Glad Tom and I aren’t the only ones bringing veggie trays to school.
I think kids are more open to trying things at school than they are at home. Mine are, anyway! Asking them to try something different usually ends up in facial contortions commonly seen only in comic books; on the other hand, my son was in the HEAL program at El Granada in 2nd grade and they tried a lot of things. I’ll never forget the day he solemnly told me, “I tried a whole grain today.”
–Julianne