What We Learned this School Year

Since January, 300 children from Union Pleasant Elementary School, Hamburg Middle School and Armor Elementary were able to take part in either healthy classroom food tastings or culinary field trips to beHealthy Institute sponsored by Seeds of Living Education. 

LESSONS LEARNED: Children are willing and happy to munch on fresh and crunchy veggie snacks all times of the day.  They like to eat them with many different types of dips -- Organic Hidden Valley Ranch is always a big hit. Freshly prepared white bean dip is also a great dipping option.  It is full of protein and fiber and made just a little bit zippy with a touch of cayenne and cumin.  Guacamole is a nutritious alternative, too.  It is full of that good monounsaturated fat that can help aid in lowering the "bad cholesterol."  Also, garden fresh salsa is an excellent option to make or buy ready prepared.  It has lots of tomatoes, onions, garlic and cilantro with just a hint of lemon juice and cayenne.  All of these dips and many, many more can be served with fresh sliced, diced and julienned veggies.  Children of all ages have proven to us that they will munch and crunch on veggies (including RAW ASPARAGUS!) all times of the day. 

We gratefully acknowledge the generous contribution of the Makers of Hidden Valley Ranch to The Giving Garden and Seeds of Living Education this year.  Their support has made it possible to help  our school community garden continue to grow and flourish and to sponsor all of the healthy veggie and food classroom tastings.

Our Last Garden Fresh Tasting at beHealthy with 2nd Grade Classes

SOLE and beHealthy Institute hosted our final classroom field trip of 40 second graders for this school year 2010-11.  These students sampled garden fresh salad and veggies with a choice of 3 different salsas and dips. The students were split into 5 groups and each participated in a culinary experience.  We made sweet and creamy guacamole, garden fresh salsa, zippy white bean dip and luscious mango smoothies.  There was plenty of fresh cut veggies on hand for dipping, as well as some organic blue chips.  The students were engaged and actively participating in the fresh food experience.  The Giving Garden provided some of the produce used, including just-picked romaine lettuce for dipping, cilantro for the salsa and guacamole and strawberries for "dessert."

Going, Going, Gone!

The fourth grade class proved the point that veggies are delicious to snack on with some Organic  Hidden Valley Ranch dip after working and learning in The Giving Garden.  Thanks Mr. Zack's Class!Take a look!

Veggie Smile Pizzas Were a Big Winner with the First Graders

Ms. Lango's first grade class visited beHealthy Institute to make healthy veggie smile face pizzas. The students topped their pizza dough with tomato sauce, cheese and a vegetable medley of sweet bell peppers, broccoli, black olives, grape tomatoes and fresh spinach harvested from The Giving Garden. They also added Organic Hidden Valley Ranch "mustaches, beards, and eyebrows" to decorate their pizzas. While their pizzas were baking they listened to a story about Little Pea who did not always like to eat his dinner of candy before he had his favorite dessert -- SPINACH!

A Visit to The Giving Garden in Early June

The Giving Garden is nearly fully planted thanks to all the loving care of many of our student gardeners, Union Pleasant Garden Club, and adult volunteers. The cool weather crops, like leaf lettuce, watermelon radishes and rainbow carrots have been planted and some are ready to harvest. Our warm weather veggies for all of our multi-cultural beds -- Chinese, Indian, Mexican and Italian -- along with the Love Your Veggies Great Veggie Adventure beds are planted and growing! Take a look at the garden and get inspired!

A Special Veggie Thank You

One of our kindergarten classes that recently visited beHealthy for a tasting field trip dropped of thank you notes. They were beautifully made and very heartfelt. One depicted a little girl in a sugar snap pea canoe ... the children absolutely devour the sugar snap peas - full of crunch and sweetness, perfect for little munchers.

The Asparagus Forest

First grade students learn about local veggies and their nutritional goodness during a trip to beHealthy Institute. One such veggie growing now in Western New York is asparagus. Asparagus is crispy and sweet and tastes great plain or dipped in organic Hidden Valley Ranch. The Giving Garden has a full asparagus forest in bloom right now!