Cooking up healthy habits

Armed with air fryers, toaster ovens, electric griddles, waffle makers and blenders, the sixth graders at Willowick Middle School are learning about where their food comes from and how to whip up healthy recipes through the new Farm to Table class.

“Our Principal Scott Stasa asked us to come up with a broad slate of ideas for new electives,” says teacher Samantha Bly, who grew up as a 4-H farmer in LeRoy Township. “This is a pivotal age for students to discover what healthy eating looks like, learn how to make simple recipes, understand sustainable practices and develop an appreciation for the food system as a whole.”

Lessons begin with a vegetable unit, which is hard to win over students, but they were eager to try veggie quesadillas after they made them themselves.

The hands-on class meets daily for nine weeks.

“I was surprised that a lot of these students already had pretty good skills in the kitchen,” she says. “We also teach them how to read nutritional labels and find ways to make their food healthier, for instance making seasoning for popcorn to replace butter.”

One of the most loved snacks? A classic—ants on a log.

“Who knew raisins and peanut butter on celery could be so well received?” she says. “The kids felt like five-star chefs!”

She adds they got their maps out to chart how far their food comes from, too, with the goal of planning meals around ingredients that hail the least distance for the most freshness.

Another lesson in the class is moderation and value. “For instance with the ants on a log, we delved into how much you can make by buying each product in a grocery store, and how nutritionally valuable they are,” she says.

Reaction from parents and students has been overwhelmingly positive.

“It’s nice to hear students chatting in the hallways about which recipes they look forward to making that night,” she adds.

Look for these monthly stories to cover topics from grades K-12 in the Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools System. For details, visit WESchools.org.