Food Rebels: Sarah Tanner and Recipe for Success

 

 

Occupation Seed-To-Plate Nutrition Education, Program Coordinator, Recipe For Success Location Houston, Texas Favorite Food Zucchini Squash Rebel Story Recipe for Success actually started in 2005, when our founder, Gracie Cavnar, was doing research about soda machines in schools, and about childhood obesity. And she realized that there were so many things that were targeted towards students that were unhealthy, things that were making them sick. She really wanted to change this idea of students being out of the kitchen, and children not really knowing how to cook, and just having students prepare things for themselves– Really teach them how to prepare their own fresh fruits and vegetables, so that they did have those skills to live a healthy lifestyle for the rest of their lives. What is the problem with school lunch in America today? I think part of the problem is that for students, first of all, the food always look appetizing. So, food has to look good for students to think that it’s gonna taste good, especially if there’s something they’re not familiar with. What is the solution? One of our goals is to make sure that students do learn where their food comes from, and then also how to prepare those fresh fruits and vegetables. If students are able to look on their plate, and see something that they’ve heard of before in class, whether it was out in the garden, or in the culinary classroom, I think that for them, making the connection that this healthy food can be fun, is really important. What is your hope for the future for kids and school lunch? I think the big vision is just for students to realize that healthy food is fun. To do that, we have to combat a lot of negative advertising for unhealthy food that makes it very fun , and to make that happen, we have to show kids that, first of all there is healthy food out there that tastes good, and to have that happen not only in the classroom, educating them on what those fruits and vegetables are, and what they should be eating. But also, to have that reflected in the school lunchroom, what they are given on a regular basis. A lot of our students are on a free and reduced lunch program, and so many times the school is one of their main sources of foods. So starting to make sure that that school is healthy, it’s nutritious, and it’s delicious, is something that is going to help students realize that they can carry these skills throughout the rest of their time at school.