The cross-pollination of gardening with nutrition is helping UC educators get a message out to youth about healthy eating, according to an article that was published in the Riverside Press-Enterprise.
UC Master Gardener Diane King is visiting all first-grade classrooms at Romoland Elementary School to talk about food.
"You are so lucky to be living in California. Do you know why?" King asked the children. "Because California grows so many different types of fruits for the whole country. In California, we can buy fresh fruit all year round."
The program, Eating Healthy from Farm to Fork, is part of the UC Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program and offered in collaboration with Riverside County Master Gardeners to teach children about local foods and agriculture. The curriculum connects farms and school gardens to healthy eating, said Chutima Ganthavorn, the nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor for Riverside County. "For example, the vegetable lesson talks about the edible plant parts. The Master Gardeners brought a handout about beneficial insects vs. pests and talked about growing vegetables not only in the school garden but on a larger scale," Ganthavorn said. Romoland Elementary Principal Troy Cox applauded the program, saying he couldn't be happier with what it does for students.