The Sycamore Tree

Originally this post was just going to be about Sycamore Trees, but it expanded into nutrition education in schools. Yesterday I was in an elementary school doing a mini audit in their lunchroom. As the kids were coming out with their trays I kept telling the kids that they forget the vegetables on their tray. There was fresh broccoli and a California veggie mix that day. Or I would ask "where are your vegetables?" None of the kids were taking vegetables, ok not EVERYONE but a good chunk. As I talked with each grade I learned that kids think vegetables are gross (I knew that), and because the kid in front of them said they were gross, they are gross. And they don't classify certain vegetables as vegetables. For example, I would question them further to see if they liked carrots? or tomatoes? or potatoes? (Who doesn't like potatoes?) The little children would reply yes to at least one of these (potato) so I could tell them that they actually did like vegetables. I also tried telling them that they better hurry and get in line because the vegetables are extra good today. This worked for a few. I'm trying to make vegetables cool.

On to the bigger kids. In the middle schools, I was surprised at how little they knew about nutrition. It is minimal. I had the class draw a pyramid on their paper and fill in as much as they knew. Maybe it's laziness or a lack of nutrition education, or both, but most would have a blank triangle. Few drew the old pyramid and knew that junk food was at the top. But the pyramid has changed, if you didn't know that watch this video. One student told me that eggs were in the dairy group. KIDS DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT NUTRITION TO MAKE SMART CHOICES! They develop unhealthy eating habits at a young age, influenced greatly on what their parents are eating, or their peers and don't know any different. I wish I could meet with children individually and let them try vegetables or fruits they have never had before. Zucchini, spaghetti squash, edamame, honey dew, mango, melons, berries, ect. They just might find their new favorite food, that's exciting to me! Set up healthy eating patterns and physical activity at a young age with kids. The obesity epidemic is only getting worse and reaching kids at a young age is one of the many solutions to prevent future health problems (type 2 diabetes and heart disease which is the #1 cause of death). On and on and on I could go, but I'll stop now.

Now for my story of the Sycamore Tree. Once upon a time I was talking with two little girls in 2nd grade about vegetables, and they vowed that they would be eating vegetables the next time I saw them. As they were about to leave they came running back to me and asked what my name was. I told them Mrs. Sycamore, like a sycamore tree. One of the girls replied, "Oh... the Sycamore Tree, I love the apples from that tree." She went on to tell me how she wished she could eat those apples again but her cousin hadn't brought any more. Mmmm sycamore apples, the best apples ever! And the apples in the Sycamore tree lived happily ever after.