Contact: Robbie Ward
Photo by: Megan Bean
STARKVILLE, Miss.--For the second year, elementary school students will have the opportunity to learn where food on the dinner table comes from before it arrives at the store.
Designed to help third-sixth graders appreciate what they regularly consume, Mississippi State's 2008 "Fun with Food" camp will be held June 23-27 on campus.
The educational experience covers the many steps between farm production and a meal's presentation on the plate, said associate professor Sylvia Byrd of the university's department of food science, nutrition and health promotion.
Byrd, a registered dietician, and chef Roland Parny, also a member of the departmental staff, will lead programs focusing on foods and flavors, time-management and meal-planning skills, and recipe comprehension, among other topics.
They also will direct the participants in a series of games that promotes general learning and physical activity. As an example, she added, cooking techniques the campers learn also help improve their comprehensions of mathematics, science, reading, and writing.
Byrd said healthy eating habits learned through fun activities, hopefully, will remain with the campers for years to come.
"Healthy habits formed during childhood and carried into adulthood decrease the risk of chronic disease," she said. "The benefits of a healthy diet are well-documented."
Only a quarter of United States children eat three daily servings of vegetables and less than half consume two daily servings of fruit, Byrd observed. Research has shown that youngsters involved in the production and preparation of foods are more likely to eat them, especially fruits and vegetables.
Camp applications continue to be accepted. The $200-per-person fee covers meals, snacks, field trips, and a T-shirt. For more information, contact Byrd at 662-325-0919 or shb5@msstate.edu.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.