City High students and families enjoy a health meal during workshop.
City Charter High School, (City High), a new charter school, in downtown Pittsburgh, had its second annual Nutrition Workshop with the help of the Pennsylvania Dietetic Association Foundation (PADAF). City High has taken a proactive approach to wellness by providing after school nutrition workshops for both students and parents in an effort to combat the national trend of overweight and under exercised teens and adults.
Pennsylvania Culinary Institute served chicken taco soup, vegetable wraps, fruit and yogurt parfaits.
With the assistance of the Make Time for Health program from PADAF, the school brought in the Steelers’ consulting dietitian, Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, LDN. Chef Meszar from the Culinary Institute in Pittsburgh provided a healthy meal. The Culinary Institute prepared the taco soup, which was part of the workshop recipe collection, and it was a hit! Leslie used entertaining stories on how even some Steelers had to make better food choices and changes. She reminded us that you should not eat portions that are greater than the size of your head without a helmet!
“Participates learned that you eat well and enjoy what you eat.”
Steelers’ registered dietitian, Leslie Bonci, used humor to teach about healthy eating and exercise.
The participants went home with a week of recipes (including the shopping list) and nutrition education handouts provided by PADAF as well as goodie bags containing protein bars and information provided by USDA, American Heart Association, Working Hearts and High Mark Preventive Services. The school used creative partnerships with Dicks Sporting Goods, GNC and Giant Eagle, a local food store, to provide gift certificates.
Chef Meszar explains ways to prepare a healthy meal.
Close to 30 families participated. “We were excited about this workshop because our audience was both students and parents,” says Lisa Allen. “It was exciting to see family involvement in the hope that with everyone involved there is a better chance of making sustainable changes in diet and exercise.”
The buzz was that the workshop was a fun and provided reasonable steps for change. The school has formed a wellness committee to assist with future planning. “We have the momentum going now and hope to continue workshops in the future.” says Lisa Allen. |
