Conscious Choice: Reconnecting Children with Their Food

August 2008 | On Our Radar

Reconnecting Children with Their Food

Don’t expect to find prepackaged food in Louisa May Alcott Elementary School’s cafeteria refrigerator when school starts again this month. Thanks to lunch line reformer and local chef Greg Christian’s Organic School Project (OSP), the school will serve organic food made from scratch — on site — with fresh and locally produced ingredients on biodegradable lunch trays.

Christian started the OSP in response to his own daughter’s health problems, hoping to bring awareness to childhood obesity, early on-set type II diabetes and behavioral problems. He believes that if children reconnect with their food source they’ll be more willing to try healthier foods.

The program for the ’08-’09 year at Alcott school will be the first to also study the impact of the program’s holistic approach to obesity prevention to rate its success.

“The real dream of the OSP is to teach kids to choose more positive food,” says Christian. “If we can teach kids to eat a salad over pizza down the road, we think we’ve done something.”

The children at Alcott school will also participate in creating and sustaining a fruit and vegetable garden on the school’s property. In addition to gardening, the program includes nutritional education and yoga workshops, as well as teaching children about the benefits of composting and recycling.

Alcott Principal Dave Domovic is excited about bringing the OSP into their kitchen this school year and says the presence of a nutritional curriculum has already broadened the kids’ interest in healthy food.

“I can’t tell you how exciting it is to see kids getting fruits and vegetables in the lunch line instead of junk food and candy,” Domovic said. “We appreciate that the lessons the students learn monthly about healthy bodies and healthy minds are all things students will take with them for a lifetime.” According to Domovic, the new curriculum has garnered great support from the school children’s families, inspiring many to become involved with the upkeep of the garden this summer.

Also this year, Chicago Cub’s pitcher Kerry Wood and his wife Sarah, have chosen the OSP as the recipient of the proceeds from the Kerry Wood’s Strike Zone fifth annual celebrity bowling tournament fundraiser. The event takes place on August 6, at 10 Pin Bowling Lounge, 310 N. State Street, Chicago. The event features celebrity bowling, a silent auction of one-of-a-kind memorabilia and live music. Visit organicschoolproject.org or Kerrywoodstrikezone.com.

— Madeleine Hill

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