Bethel Park kindergartners learn the importance of eating vegetables
“V” is for vegetables.
That was the lesson for 73 kindergartners at Memorial Elementary School in the Bethel Park School District on Jan. 27.
Teachers Dana Polis and Kristen Mills talked to students about the importance of vegetables for a healthy diet. The children were given individual packages of baby carrots, red peppers, cherry tomatoes and celery sticks for what they called “Ms. V’s vegetable tasting event.”
After they tried each, they marked on a worksheet whether they liked it with a smiley face or didn’t like it with a sad face, or if they were somewhere in the middle with a no expression face.
“It’s OK if you don’t like something, but try it to make sure you don’t,” Mills said.
As part of the half-day kindergarten curriculum, teachers use 26 cloth puppets called the Letter People. Each represents a letter in the alphabet. The most recent assignment was Ms. V who wears a vegetable vest. Another example was Mr. T, for teeth.
“The Letter People really instill a magical love of learning in our children,” Polis said. “Our kindergarteners will experience a full day of school and lunch for the very first time next year. Our hope is that the children just might make some positive connections between the excitement of Ms. V’s vegetable tasting event and a lifetime of making healthy choices.”
Everything was pre-packaged and raw. The teachers told their students that the vegetables can also be cooked and that some people like both, while others prefer one or the other. They also said that the children should continue to try new foods because their taste buds can change.
The vegetables were supplied by Metz Culinary Management, Inc., the company food service provider for Bethel Park School District.
The teachers reached out to Joe Consolmagno, general manager at Metz, to see if they could get some vegetables. Consolmagno said he would not only provide the vegetables, but he would also come to the classes and talk with the students.
“I love being in the classroom with the kids,” Consolmagno said. “The younger we can get them to try vegetables, the better. That can help them make good food choices for the rest of their lives.”
The United States Department of Agriculture requires ½ cup serving of fruit or ½ cup serving of vegetables for school lunches, Consolmagno said.
The teachers discussed that the vegetables were raw, but could also be cooked and used in other foods – such as tomatoes being incorporated into pasta sauce, on pizza and in ketchup.
They all received a sticker for trying that said “I TRIED IT “
Mills’ students Madison Paden and Jacob Cunningham said they had fun.
“The carrots were my favorite,” said Madison. “I like them raw. Eating vegetables is important.”
“Vegetables make you big and strong,” said Jacob.
Polis’ student George Zoeckler said he liked all but the red peppers. He prefers yellow peppers.
“I eat a lot of vegetables,” George said. “I love lettuce and cucumbers and peas and green beans. My mom wants me to eat 100 vegetables every day.”
100?
“Well, maybe not 100, but a lot,” he said.
The habits they pick up at this age will last a lifetime, said Madison Wurst, nutrition educator and registered dietician for Metz Culinary Management.
“Kids will say they don’t like something before they’ve even tried it,” said Mills, who has been teaching kindergarten for Bethel Park for 29 years. “This experience is something they can carry over when they go home or out to eat. It opens the door for them to try new things. It’s a new experience.”
Polis, who has 19 years teaching in the district from K-6, the past two in kindergarten, said this age group has a love of learning and she thought if they saw one of their classmates try a vegetable that might be a way of encouraging each other.
“We want them to have a lifetime of healthy choices,” Polis said. “They were all open to trying the vegetables.”
The lesson wasn’t just about food. The teachers incorporated studying where vegetables come from in a garden. They used math skills to count how many students liked each vegetable. And their writing talents came into play when they formed a sentence about their favorite vegetable. Each decorated a vest to show their artistic side.
“We like to integrate a lot of subjects in a lesson,” said Mills. “It has to be something that is meaningful to them. Vegetables are good for you. Why should you eat vegetables?”
“Because they have vitamins,” a few of the children said.
Yes, “V” is also for vitamins.
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.