Bon Appétit!

Hearty quinoa, nutty garbanzo beans, colorful fruit and vegetable smoothies... these aren't usually associated with elementary-aged kids.  Unless you're talking about the students at Rodriguez Elementary that is!  Every six weeks, students rotate through RFS programming in Chef Kendall and Mrs. Healy's Culinary Classroom.  The time flies as they work in the garden and learn concepts such as the food pyramid or the difference between a fruit and a vegetable. 

It is such a pleasure to spend my Thursday afternoons with them as they prep, chop, and measure their ingredients.  There are so many lessons the kids learn through the RFS curriculum- practicing proper hygiene in the kitchen, math and reading skills (while measuring out ingredients for a vinaigrette), good table manners (waiting for everyone to be served before lifting a fork), and heck, even a little French!  Hearing them all say "Bon Appétit!" in unison just before tasting their creation is absolutely priceless!  All of these benefits are reaped without the kids even realizing it because they are too busy having so much fun in this interactive setting outside the traditional classroom.  They are so curious and excited to work in the kitchen and proud to eat something that they prepared all by themselves.  I am lucky to have the opportunity to join them each week by volunteering for RFS.

The highlight in each class, by far, is watching our little junior chefs taste the results of their hard work.  Last week, upon tasting the 1-2-3 Salad, one of the 2nd graders commented "Wow, I feel like I'm in a different country when I am eating this salad!"  Which country, you wonder?  After much debate and thought...she finally decided on Australia.