Kids really need this curriculum, says Haight School nutrition education coordinator Ann Katz. A lot of kids' only source of nutrition education is at school. Fifth-grader Genesis Ramos says she cooks for her family every night, often using recipes she learned at school. Haight School is one of hundreds across the state that are bulking up nutrition education with help from federal and state programs. They're also pushing schools to improve the appeal and nutritional quality of school lunches and to integrate school lunch and nutrition education programs.
Cooking is a classroom favorite.
Children chop, measure, and stir to get hands-on experience. Katz also integrates food into science, art, and reading. Fifth-grader Sophie Johnson says she enjoys it most when her class cooks food from other countries, turning geography lessons into healthy meals. At nearby Earhart School, kindergartners learn about food by growing it. It's good for them to see the process and feel they are part of it, that food doesn't come out of nowhere and land on their plates.