Food Explorers is a five-session after-school or summer program aimed at making children savvy consumers of food.
Student detectives will investigate issues such as food marketing to children, sugar-sweetened beverages and empty calories, portion distortion at fast food restaurants, and highly-processed foods. Each week, children will have a new culinary adventure in the kitchen—cooking up healthy snacks, breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Through Food Explorers, children will learn to examine their own food choices and to make smart decisions on how and what to eat.
Food Explorers was created by the Greater Richmond Coalition for Healthy Children and made possible by the CarMax Foundation.
Interesting Fact: Did you know that a can of Coke has almost 10 teaspoons of added sugar? Each additional sugary drink consumed per day increases the likelihood of a child becoming obese by about 60%.
Source: Ludwig DS, Peterson KE, Gortmaker SL. Relation between consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and childhood obesity: a prospective, observational analysis. Lancet 2001; 357: 505–08
Food Explorers Curriculum:
Overview
Facilitator’s Guide
Session 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Parent/Guardian Permission Slip
Invitation
Detective Discoveries/Key Messages
Certificate
Sugar Calculations
Pre-Survey
Post-Survey
Complete Food Explorers Curriculum