Seriously Wild About Nutrition

posted 4/6/18 -- As a comprehensive child development program, Head Start works on more than just letters and numbers. Nutrition is a key component and that is why LCCAA Head Start Centers across Lorain County are Wild About Health and Nutrition.

While Try Day Friday has been a hit throughout the year, March was Child Nutrition Month and the perfect time for fun family events designed to reinforce healthy habits. Parents, children, teachers and members of the community came together for prizes, healthy eating, food demonstrations, books, tacos, and hands-on nutritional activities.

“It’s pretty cool to bring the kids, parents together for bonding time and education” said Head Start parents Daniel and Lillie Hunter as their 5 year old daughter, Da’nisha, giggled while making a watermelon out of construction paper, one of several activities designed to improve fine motor skills.

Head Start father Ernesto Chavez’s favorite part of Wild About Nutrition was seeing his daughter play and eat healthy while “keeping the parents involved” in the education of the children. And his daughter, Evalina, said her favorite part was “apples, because they taste so good”

A’veah Rojas was munching on kiwis while grandma Darlene Rojas looked on “my babies loved today, they would eat everything here if we let them. But that’s better than eating junk food.”

Members of the Amherst High School Med Tech Group dressed as some of their favorite fruits to show the children that eating healthy can be fun. Amherst student Sophie Pigegna (dressed as a giant strawberry) wanted to “get the kids laughing” and her friend Alyssa Corr (dressed as a blueberry) was making sure to tell children the importance of “proportioning junk food” to maintain a healthy diet.

Partners in the events included: Ohio Business College, Lorain County Community College, Urban League, The Nord Center, Care Source, Buckeye Health, Passages, The Ohio State Extension SNAP-Ed, Lorain Public Library, and Assurance.