Thursday, July 2022
Many parents struggle to get their children to eat enough of the healthy foods, like fruit and vegetables. Kids can be picky eaters and the relentless junk food marketing push often makes fast food seem like a more enticing option.
We know that when children learn about healthy eating through Life Ed Queensland’s core primary health program and our Healthy Eats program, they learn that growing, preparing and eating healthy food is not only fun and delicious, eating healthy also powers up the body to help kids live their best lives.
Thousands of children, like Ariadni, a Year 2 student at Brisbane’s Newmarket State School are learning these good habits for life.
Mum Francisca says Ariadni was bursting with good nutritional knowledge after she participated in the Life Ed program at her school last term, the memorable session delivered by educator Natalie.
“Ariadni started talking about ‘sometimes’ food and ‘always’ food and she explained to us about the importance of having more vegetables and fruits. We were very happy because she’s quite a picky eater and we discussed how having vegetables and fruits doesn’t need to be boring,” Francisca said.
Francisca says her daughter is now willing to try new fruits and vegetables like pears, lychees and broccoli and is more interested in the textures of foods, even willing to eat apples whole instead of asking for peels to be removed.
The Life Ed session also helped the seven-year-old understand where food comes from.
“It’s more than just what happens in the kitchen or what happens inside her lunchbox: she has a broader understanding of food and how it makes her feel, but also that it is grown in a certain way and that there are systems, and that not all fruits can be found in the same systems, so that was interesting as well,” Francisca said.
“Now she’s looking forward to going cherry picking or strawberry picking here in Queensland, so we are trying to organise an experience like that.”
Since her Life Ed session, Ariadni now has a holistic understanding of the fruit and vegetable seasons.
“One week ago, she said she wanted to have a lemonade stand and then in the summer she wants to have a watermelon stand!” Francisca said.
Francisca echoes the sentiments of many parents, who tell us the Life Ed program lays the foundation for important discussion topics at home.
“Having things, she knows from home also validated outside and seeing everyone engaging with the same conversations – it’s excellent.
“Also, in the school yard they are doing this new program on nude food. One day a month, they ask students to come to school with no packaging in their lunch box, which cuts down on landfill waste but also encourages children to eat more whole healthy foods.
“They also have a school garden, so it’s great that all these initiatives are in place for kids to make healthy decisions.”
Well done Ariadni on making such healthy eating choices and thank you for sending in your beautiful drawings of healthy rainbow fruits.
