Kids love veggies !
Beets ! That ’ s right , kids chose beets as the Veggie of the Year for 2017 . In 2016 , it was cactus . What ’ s this all about ? The Food Literacy Center , an organization whose mission is to inspire kids to eat their vegetables .
The Sacramento-based center provides three weekly afterschool programs : food literacy classes , the Food Literacy Academy and Food Literacy Corps . Through these programs , organizers teach low-income elementary children cooking and nutrition to improve their health , environment and the economy .
In addition , the Food Literacy Center sponsors Food Literacy Month every September and the Sacramento Food Film Festival in April . The center is a multiple award-winning operation run by a very small , dedicated staff .
Each year , students vote for their favorite vegetable , sending the crystal clear message that they love veggies . But the staff knows there is plenty of work to do , since only 4 percent of kids overall are protecting their own health by eating them . athletic endeavor .
Our personal relationships come into play here as well . Friendships are emotional bonds , and knowing how your mind works to produce emotions can help you understand your own behavior and that of your friends . What kind of friend are you ? What kind of friend do you need ? Do you value loyalty , honesty , empathy , fun , shared interests ? Think about the friendships in your life , those that have lasted , those that haven ’ t , the ones where you wish you ’ d been a better friend , or had a better friend . Wouldn ’ t it be nice to know why ?
Life is filled with choices . Most of the choices related to our bodies , health , wellness , emotions , identity , and relationships we make with surprisingly little understanding of what , why or how we are doing it . With a better foundational knowledge of our bodies , our minds , and how they work , we could undoubtedly make better decisions .
Self-literacy is not new . Indeed , it has been an ideal pursued for at least 2,500 years . From Aristotle ’ s “ Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom ,” to Ben
Franklin ’ s writings , Mahatma Gandhi ’ s teachings , and innumerable philosophers in between , self-literacy has always been recognized as the central key to our happiness , wisdom and fulfillment .
So why is it that today , when perhaps our greatest need is to keep our footing in an uncertain world , it is overlooked as a teachable skill ? If we are serious about preparing our young people for success in the 21st century – at home , at work and in the community – we must ensure that self-knowledge is as fundamental to our educational systems as the ABCs and 123s .
Tim Howes , Ph . D . is co-founder and co-CEO of Know Yourself , a leading Self Literacy company that combines vetted scientific material with art and storytelling to create a series of captivating workbooks , comics and activity kits that help children make healthy choices and achieve happiness . Learn more at https :// knowyourself . com . The story of the Food Literacy Center , which is funded by donations , is not only about inspiring students to eat their vegetables . The staff aims to empower them to be “ fearless food adventurers .” Teaching kids to eat cactus and raw beets – and looking forward to it – is certainly a sign they are meeting those goals .
Learn more about the Food Literacy Center at www . foodliteracycenter . org .
10 Leadership