FoodCorps provides lessons on healthy eating

by Laraine Weschler, Republican-American

NAUGATUCK — Healthy choices are on the menu at Hop Brook Elementary School as a new program this year aims to convince students to fall in love with healthy food and eat it every day.

Amy Swanson, an AmeriCorps volunteer from Oregon, is launching a FoodCorps program at the school.

Swanson chatted with kindergartners during lunch Tuesday, handing out kale stickers to students eating healthy vegetables. School lunch includes a choice of two fruits or vegetables, but most kids go for the grapes and pineapple over cucumber and broccoli, Swanson said. Although fruit is good, Swanson’s hoping to promote vegetables, and started with a green pepper tasting on Wednesday.

About 90 percent of children nationwide don’t eat enough vegetables and 60 percent don’t eat enough fruit, according to FoodCorps’ literature.