Nutrition/Food block

[mamaMAMAma]

DD#1 (almost 10) loves food and I would like to do some work with her on nutrition and different kinds of food. She also enjoys writing and we discussed what a food critic do... I'm not a foodie myself. I'm looking for suggestions on how to support her passion for food. Maybe books written by food critics suitable for her age, books on nutrition, (we already have some kids cookbooks), books that help with experimenting,... Ideas? I'd like to create a fun unit study for her. I also intend to celebrate more festivals this year and cooking foods from other cultures,...

[heatherdeg]

If I were doing a unit, I might include:

* Recipes, of course, but the following way:
--Multiple cultures with some research on a culture-specific ingredient used
--Recipes shared from friends or relatives with a note about how that recipe was remembered (or what memories it triggers) for the person sharing it
--A recipe for each season that incorporates a locally in-season ingredient

* Have HER critique each of the ones from above that you make

* Take a picture of each you make

* Do nutritional analysis on each (I have a hard time with this personally because I don't buy into the mainstream "norms" of what RDAs are, etc.)

* You might also have her consider creating an entire seasonal menu based on local foods

* Have her visit a local CSA or organic meat farmer and interview them (they're often pretty open to that)

* I'm not sure if she's mature enough to watch Food, Inc. but it would provoke some great ideas for her if she is. You should probably watch it first. For that matter, she could also possibly watch Supersize Me. Both great food-related/nutrition documentaries.

* Have her investigate the existence of local orgs that might pick up unused food from restaurants and farms to distribute to food pantries.

* Have her volunteer at a local food pantry and see what kinds of foods the poor are getting. In fact, you could go to the local WIC office (or the info may be online) about what they are "allowed" to eat and note the nutritional values or deficits.

* Have her plan a food garden based on what the family actually eats. She may want to grow it next year.

* Have her interview a chef that can tell her where he gets food from and how he decides on the menues.

* If she can manage to understand research, the first 63 pages of Sally Fallon's "Nourishing Traditions" discusses the disconnect between what we are told to eat and what the research actually says (and how the two got kind of parted ways although with the best of intentions)

* Have her investigate the farm-to-school initiatives, community food gardening initiatives, etc. (just Google these)

* She can read about pasteurization and homogenization--how they were developed, why, and why people are against it (seeing both sides of the story... it's great higher order thinking building )


I could go on. There are topics I haven't even touched on here yet. Food and nutrition are my thing. I'm actually rushing right now or I'd explain the precise value of each. If you want, I can come back and edit the note to mark it that way--just let me know.

[mamaMAMAma]

Wow! Thanks!! I'm excited and a bit overwhelmed!! Where is a good place to start?

[newcastlemama]

I would read Heatherdeg's great list of ideas and have her tell you which ones sounded the most interesting to her

Another idea since you discussed food critics: You could have her write up a review like a food critic would after you go out to eat. Maybe she could have a little blog about local restaurants.

[heatherdeg]

Ooooo... a blog! That would be awesome! Like "Jules and Julia".

I honestly don't even know where I'd start. I agree--read the list to her and see what she likes. And in the meantime, hunt up some of the resources in the area to see where you could go if she wants to visit a CSA or something.