One Saturday a few weeks ago, I earned a V for Victory! On that magnificent “Breakfast Saturday” my 7-year-old daughter was able to make our entire French toast with citrus-kissed macerated strawberries… on her own.
She’s been helping me in the kitchen since she was oh-so little, washing fruits and vegetables, cutting bananas and mushrooms with her child-safe knives, setting the table, straining and rinsing. At the same time, I have been taking deep breaths, counting to 10 and walking out onto the deck to pray for a little more patience!
I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself as she cut berries and cracked the eggs, all preceded by “I know, Mom.”
This was my vision since the day both my girls were born, and now it has become my mission for all children. I want to instill a love and appreciation for cooking and sharing real, good food with friends and family.
Why Food Revolution Day?
This is why I am a supporter of Jamie Oliver and his mission to create food smart kids. He believes in teaching children about food; where it comes from, how it affects your body and how to cook it. Without real and good food, our nation and, actually, the world has created “the first generation that is predicted to live shorter lives than their parents because of diet and inactivity.” The statistics gathered on the Food Revolution Day website tell the real story:
- Worldwide, there are already more than 43 million children under the age of five who are either overweight or obese. If this continues, the figure will rise to nearly 60 million by 2020.
- Type-2 diabetes, previously considered a disease specific only to adults, is now becoming prevalent in children as young as eight years old.
- Diet-related illnesses, which include type-2 diabetes, heart failure and stroke, are among the world’s biggest killers.
- Overweight or obese children are a lot more likely to remain overweight or obese as adults, increasing their risk of disease and disability later in life.
We can change the direction of our future and creating lasting change by teaching our children to take care of themselves and their bodies. We need to show them what real food is, where it comes from, how it affects their bodies and how to cook it. From there, we create food smart kids who will make healthy choices for the rest of their lives.
You can help spread the love on Food Revolution Day on May 16, 2014 (#FRD2014). This is a global day of action created by Jamie Oliver to get kids excited about food.
How To Get Involved
Everyone can get involved on different levels. From hanging up a poster or having some friends over to cook, to introducing Food Revolution Day to your school, or setting up a smoothie table at your office, the more the merrier. Get creative! This day is all about creating awareness, having fun and getting excited about real food. However, on a whole other level, it’s about bonding; creating a sacred space to gather and create community, family and peace.
Find Food Revolution Day freebies and printouts for your home, school and community at www.foodrevolutionday.com.
Robyn grew up among the cows and cornfields in Wisconsin and now, she laughs and loves amongst the Colorado pines and mountains. Her true loves: the hubs, two daughters and Rufus, the black lab pup inspire her every day to move, stretch, climb, cook, relax, and search. Learn more about her at Baby Kale Health Coaching.
