Vegetable of the Month Expands Children’s Palates

Trying new fruits and vegetables can be daunting, especially for kids. Health Ambassadors have taken on the challenge of making new foods fun with their Vegetable of the Month program at Pacheco Elementary School. Once a month, Health Ambassadors visit Pacheco during lunchtime and share a new vegetable with students. Health Ambassadors design and lead games and interactive presentation boards to teach students about the nutritional benefits of the featured vegetable. The program allows students from preschool through eighth grade to expand their palates by tasting new, healthy foods.

The Health Ambassadors visited Pacheco three times this quarter. During their first visit they featured cauliflower. Students sampled both roasted cauliflower and a cauliflower and cucumber salad with Greek yogurt chive dressing. Recipes for both dishes were featured in the school newsletter so parents could build on their children’s enthusiasm by incorporating new vegetables into meals at home.

Tasting well-prepared vegetables provides Pacheco students the experience and knowledge to form healthy eating habits that will serve them throughout their lives. Making good health accessible to children is STRIDE’s mission in action.