Children in Clare and Gladwin counties celebrate National Food Day

During the last week of October, children in the Clare-Gladwin RESD S.P.A.R.K.S. program at local elementary schools, area Great Start Readiness Program and Head Start preschool classrooms, as well as some local childcare centers celebrated National Food Day; an annual initiative that aims to promote safe, healthful diets, and supports sustainable organic farming.

Made possible by Clare-Gladwin RESD, the Clare-Gladwin Great Start Collaborative, and the Clare-Gladwin Health Improvement Planning Committee (a subgroup of Together We Can), this year’s Food Day focused on food education. Activities and lessons encouraged children to know where their food comes from, how to cook meals, and how doing so will give them a big advantage when it comes to being healthy. 

Children at a number of childcare centers in Clare and Gladwin counties enjoyed apples from the Fruitful Orchard in Gladwin, while the preschool programs throughout the two-county region included a National Food Day lesson into their snack times.

The Farwell Elementary students in the S.P.A.R.K.S. afterschool program made healthy, fun snacks with a Halloween theme, including mummy pizzas, ghost bananas, skeleton mushrooms, and candy corn fruit parfaits. “The students all participated in creating their own snacks and enjoyed trying some new food they had never before had,” said S.P.A.R.K.S. Director Keri Retzloff. “When trying mandarin oranges for the first time, I heard one student surprisingly say, ‘These oranges are great!’”

All participants also took home a National Food Day activity book. 

More than 530 local children celebrate National Food Day

On Oct. 24, more than 530 children in the Clare-Gladwin RESD S.P.A.R.K.S. program, local preschool classrooms, and local daycare programs celebrated National Food Day; an annual initiative that aims to promote safe, healthful diets, and supports sustainable organic farming.

Made possible by the Clare-Gladwin Health Improvement Planning Committee (a subgroup of Together We Can) in collaboration with the Clare-Gladwin Great Start Collaborative, Clare-Gladwin RESD, and MidMichigan Health, this year’s Food Day focused on food education. Activities and lessons incorporated in the event encouraged children to know where their food comes from, how to cook meals, and how doing so will give them a big advantage when it comes to being healthy and avoiding health problems in the future.

Participants received a Food Day activity book, and each classroom and daycare program was given a copy of a book developed by the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture titled, “The Two Bite Club,” which teaches kids to try foods from each food group.

Additionally, some groups explored the mission of National Food Day further with hands-on activities.

Children in various daycare programs created a pumpkin dip and integrated locally grown pumpkins into an art project, while S.P.A.R.K.S. students cooked multiple dishes that incorporated locally grown, healthy fruits or vegetables. For example, students from the Harrison Elementary S.P.A.R.K.S. site made homemade salsa from the tomatoes they planted themselves in the school garden last summer.

“National Food Day helped to educate our students on three things – healthy food can be economical, easily accessible, and it can be found locally,” said S.P.A.R.K.S. Director Keri Retzloff. “With our county health ranking being among the lowest in the state, S.P.A.R.K.S. is trying to promote and educate students on living a healthier lifestyle, including more exercise and eating a healthy diet. This day fit in nicely!” 

The students’ recipes will be used in a future S.P.A.R.K.S. cookbook.  Funds raised from cookbook sales will be used toward a backpack program that addresses food security for children in Clare and Gladwin counties.  

“We participated in National Food Day because we thought the information would be wonderful for the young children in our community,” said Sarah Kile of the Clare-Gladwin Health Improvement Planning Committee. “This year’s celebration was a big success and we look forward to bringing the program to kids again next year.”