school lunch

by Lynn Fredericks, Family Cook Productions

Youngsters at Harlem’s Central Park East School Il brought home a very different type of homework assignment last month thanks to a strategic partnership among the school’s Wellness Initiative, the Manhattan Borough President’s office and the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene.  

Students in grades K-2 were asked to develop a shopping list to make a vegetable soup in their classroom. The students’ individual lists were developed into a master shopping list, and off the class went to their local farmers’ market. There, each child was handed a “Youth Buck” coupon worth $2 for redemption of fresh produce at the market. According to the school principal, Naomi Smith, each student made a purchase that would contribute to their soup.  “They all participated in the planning, shopping and cooking  - it was a very meaningful experience that got them excited about eating vegetables,” she confirmed.