Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) Cook and Create class:

The class features harvesting vegetables from the University of Minnesota Childrens Garden. The families visit the U of M Childrens Garden located at the West Central Research and Outreach Center to harvest the vegetables. Then they return to the ECFE classroom to work together in family groups to prepare and cook a meal using the vegetables.

The adults and children are then separated. The ECFE adult educator and a nutritionist with a local foods background discuss the importance of healthy eating choices and portion sizes with the parents. The ECFE child instructor uses games, stories, and craft projects to translate similar information about nutrition to the children.

Studies indicate that food preferences established in early childhood may affect food choices throughout life.

After gardening, children show more positive attitudes toward fruit and vegetable snacks and an improvement in vegetable preference scores. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/nutrition/research/abstract.html and http://www.colorado.edu/journals/cye/14_2/field1.htm

School gardens take the "yuck" out of eating vegetables. http://www-pubcomm.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=5217

A study in Tucson, AZ indicated that children participating in the garden learned to like healthy foods. The children had a high intrinsic value for the vegetables they grew. (Cavaliere, D. (1987). How Zucchini Won Fifth-Grade Hearts. Children Today, 16(3), 18-21.)

Another study reports that consumption of fruits and vegetables, as a habit in childhood, is an important predictor of higher fruit and vegetable consumption as adults. (Heimendinger, J. & M. Van Duyn. (1995). Dietary behavior change: the challenge of recasting the role of fruit and vegetables in the American diet. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,Journal of Nutrition Education. 27: 235-249.) 61:1397S-1401S. and Crockett, S.J., & L. Sims. (1995). Environmental Influences on Childrens Eating.

We look forward to seeing you explore the gardens with your families.