Rates of diet-related disease are high, reflecting the 40% of students in Sacramento who are obese or overweight, and 1 in 3 living with type 2 diabetes. Studies show that developing healthy habits early can help prevent these diet-related diseases. Our free cooking and nutrition program empowers kids to improve their diets with healthy food. 

We invite you to follow Aubrey, a food adventurer in our food literacy program, as we share what her day looks like. 

8:30 AM – Breakfast at School

Aubrey is a first-grader at Leataata Floyd Elementary. She and her mom live in nearby public housing, where the average annual household income is just $8,000/year. Aubrey walks across the street to eat school breakfast. In her food literacy class, she learns the importance of a healthy breakfast so she can focus in school. This is critical because studies show that children who make healthy eating decisions perform better in class.

10:00 AM – Math Class

Aubrey joins her class for math in the food literacy cooking school (coming Fall 2020!). Today, they are learning about fractions by measuring while cooking a healthy meal. In our 14-week afterschool curriculum, Aubrey currently learns about measuring. Studies show that when kids learn through hands-on activities, they are better able to retain what they’ve learned. Combined with veggies, we’re setting Aubrey up for a healthy future!  

12:00 PM – Lunch

It’s time for lunch! Aubrey sees veggies that she’s familiar with on the school salad bar: lettuce, carrots, broccoli, and puts them on her lunch tray. She learned it is important to eat a fruit or veggie with every snack or meal to help her grow strong and healthy. Aubrey and 82% of Leataata’s students participate in the free/reduced lunch program at school. 

2:00 PM – Science Class

The student garden is an exciting feature of Food Literacy Center’s cooking school. Aubrey and her classmates are in the garden for their science class. Today’s lesson is about the parts of a plant. They are learning how flowers, stems, seeds, leaves, and roots are all important to help a plant grow and that we eat different parts of them. Aubrey also gets to taste veggies growing from the garden.

4:30 PM – Family Dinner Night at Floyd Farms 

After food literacy class, Aubrey’s mom meets her on the cooking school patio for Family Dinner Night. Her food literacy instructor is showcasing rainbow salad, a recipe Aubrey made that day in math class. Afterward, everyone gets to take home the recipes. 

We’re teaching Aubrey healthy habits. By engaging her mom, we’re ensuring these healthy habits go home with her, too!

5:30 PM – Harvesting From the Student-Garden

After Family Dinner Night, Aubrey and her mom stop by their community garden plot. They harvest some lettuce and other ripe veggies. Aubrey wants to make a favorite food literacy recipe, rainbow salad, with it for tomorrow’s dinner. She knows that fruits and vegetables taste good, are fun to eat, and makes her feel better!

70% of food literacy students go home and request the veggies they taste in our class, influencing the habits of their families. 

The Need
Thank you for following a day in the Food Adventurer’s life of Aubrey. She is one of the 400 kids we serve each week with free cooking and nutrition classes. You can help provide these classes for students like Aubrey. $186 funds our 14-week curriculum, changing kids’ attitudes and behaviors toward healthy food. They become Food Adventurers. They eat vegetables with joy! 

Create a healthier future! Donate to support our kids today.

Watch an interview with Aubrey.