GraceKennedy

As parents and school canteen operators continue to struggle with providing creative yet nutritious meal solutions for their children, Heather Little-White & Associates has planned an afternoon course between May 26 - 28, 2009 to offer suggestions and demonstrate the versatility of everyday foods in creating nutritious and economical meals for school lunches and at home. 

The course which will be held at 2B Braemar Avenue in New Kingston, in association with Grace Kitchens, is designed to present dishes that are economical, quick to prepare and which will provide adequate nutrition based on the recommendations of the six food groups of the Caribbean. The initiative is timely in light of the increases affecting basic food items which are critical to the preparation of healthy school meals. 

Against the background of increasing rates in juvenile diabetes and lifestyle diseases in children, school nutrition has to be given very serious attention. According to Dr. Heather Little-White, Food and Nutrition Consultant, “for too long we have allowed the commercial motive of school canteens to overrun the nutritive value of meals provided for our children in schools. In the absence of a national food and nutrition policy which would establish strict dietary guidelines for school meals, we in the field of health promotion just have to offer nutritious options to as many parents and school canteen operators as possible”. 

The school meal programme is also taken to schools and communities islandwide. For several years, Dr. Heather Little-White has been working with schools’ parent-teachers associations and canteen operators to promote healthy, nutritious and economical meals solutions for “schoolers”. Organizations that produce foods of value to the nutrition programme have been invited to participate in the programme. Already, the Jamaica Egg Farmers’ Association has pledged it support by providing eggs and promotional material.

 

Posted: May 12, 2009