Educator, Clinical Nutritionist & Health - Supportive Chef
WHAT IS EDIBLE RAINBOW PROJECT?
It’s a long-term project that is focused on building strong foundations in culinary skills, food education, and fostering a love and joy for the kitchen. We know these healthy habits start young, even as young as in utero and even before then!
At Edible Rainbow Project we care about our beautiful Earth and the nourishment it provides us with. We emphasize the use of locally grown and raised food, organic when possible and always whole.
At its core, the Edible Rainbow Project is an adventure of eating through the colors of the rainbow and beyond. It raises our awareness of our daily meals and habits. It ignites curiosity about different foods and flavors. It enables us to cook and eat with intention so that every bite is as delicious as it is nutritious.
Personal consultations, cooking classes, food and health workshops, and various events with Anise (see link here for more on Anise ) are all the ways in which Edible Rainbow Project works towards empowering you and your kids to better health, wellness, and happiness.
WHO IS EDIBLE RAINBOW PROJECT FOR?
Edible Rainbow Project is for all foodies, but it’s especially for little foodies. Little foodies have a few distinct advantages that we need to make good use of. Little foodies have an incredible capacity for learning.
What they learn, they absorb and it becomes their normal. If they are engaged and given the opportunity to participate in their food selection and preparation, we will be helping them lay the essential framework to becoming informed and proactive healthy adults.
WHY EDIBLE RAINBOW PROJECT?
Simply because we have to act now. The statistics for food-related illness, while they have declined for children aged 2-5 years, are still staggering. Here are some of the statistics from 2011-2014 from the Centers for Disease Control:
About 12.7 million children and adolescents are affected by obesity, roughly 17% for kids aged 2-19 years old.
Among 2-5 year-olds, the prevalence of obesity was about 8.9%, where it was 17.5% for 6-11 year-olds and 20.5% for 12-19 year-olds.
(Childhood obesity is more prevalent in certain populations.)
More than ⅓ of adults in the U.S. (36.5%) have obesity.
What’s worse than these numbers are the immediate and long-term health effects of being overweight or obese.
According to the CDC the immediate health effects of obesity increase the risk of children developing cardiovascular disease, pre-diabetes and bone and joint problems. Furthermore, these children also suffer psychosocial effects such as being stigmatized and growing up with low self-esteem.
In the long term the picture is even bleaker. Obese children usually become obese adults and the health effects include increased risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, several cancers such as cancers of the colon, breast, thyroid, ovaries, prostate, kidney, to name a few.
With a good food education including culinary skills, our children will stand better chances against these odds. Developing a positive relationship with food, based on a love of it and sharing it is our first step towards raising happy and healthy eaters.
HOW DO YOU GET INVOLVED?
Anyone can be part of the Edible Rainbow Project. All you have to do is cook! Cook real food with your kids and eat meals together as a family. Support the local food movement and go to farms and farmer markets and get to know the people who provide your food. Start an herb and/or vegetable garden and go even further and start a compost. You don’t have to do all these things at once! Baby steps are the best steps.
You can post pics here to share your stories and adventures.
You can also purchase Anise Loves Green Food , the first book in the series. She’s great to take along with you on your food journeys.
For further involvement for your and your family’s health and wellness, check out the Events and Work With Me links.
Happy Cooking and Happy Eating, Family.