On Thursday, I had the pleasure of being at my daughter’s school to celebrate her birthday and help with her class’s Valentine’s activities. For her birthday treat, she chose to bring in sugar cookies and fresh fruit salad. The cookies were simply the “pull apart and bake” kind from Immaculate Baking Co. with some sprinkles of her choice. The fruit salad consisted of grapes, Plant City strawberries, and fresh cut pineapple. I could not believe that there were about a half dozen of kids that would NOT eat the fruit! What kid doesn’t like fruit??? I passed out the fruit salad first with the intent that they would eat it up and then enjoy the small cookie. I truly was amazed by those who turned their noses up at the cup of fruit.

And then I was saddened as we closed the day, and I realized that I just watched one child decline the fruit, gobble up the cookie, eat fries and chicken nuggets for lunch (mom was there and purchased that for her child), and then have a generous slice of a Valentine’s cake that was brought in by another mom. So from 9:30-1:30, this student’s body and mind were “equipped to work” with

• a cookie
• french fries
• chicken nuggets
• cake and frosting

I know that if I ate those things in the course of 4 hours, I would feel sluggish and sick. And I know that this is a very standard and normal diet for a large percentage of American children. Next month, when it is Anna’s turn to bring in snack, I will go in armed with only fresh and nutritious food and a creative plan to get as close to 100% of the class eating these “foreign” foods as possible!