Chatham-Kent's Public Health Unit has created a new program to ensure children get their daily dose of fruits and veggies.
"Club Veggies and Fruit," is a salad bar program delivered by local organizations to get children excited about incorporating more healthy greens into their diets.
The program was created by the health unit's Super Kids CK branch in partnership with the Ontario government's Healthy Kids Community Challenge Grant Program. Chatham-Kent is one of 45 communities in the province to receive funding for the costs of the program. The current phase of the challenge is the theme "Choose to boost veggies and fruit."
"We're going to be training children from the ages of 10 to 14 to prepare food for a larger number of children that are served by an organization, so that organization can be a child-care centre, school, or any community organization that serves children," says Super Kids CK Coordinator Annie Lukacsovics.
She adds that the salad bar will be a learning experience for the younger children too.
"While those peer leaders will be able to learn how to prepare vegetables and fruits for a salad bar, other children will have the opportunity to be exposed to other kinds of vegetables and fruit, so it will help them increase their preference for these types of healthy foods," explains Lukacsovics.
Lukacsovics says the Healthy Kids Community Challenge is all about teaching kids how to live a healthier lifestyle.
"Eating a diet that's rich in vegetables and fruit can lower the risk of certain types of cancers and heart disease, it's also linked to a healthy weight and lower risk of obesity. Additionally, healthy eating helps children perform better in school, sports, and other activities," she says.
Ten organizations will be chosen to participate in Club Veggies and Fruit. Application forms are available on their website or through social media on the Super Kids CK Facebook page or on Twitter @SuperKidsCK. The due date for applications is Monday, September 25, 2017.