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One of the best ways for children to learn the importance of making positive food choices is to get them actively involved in growing their own food. That’s exactly what’s happening at Winchester School in Toronto Canada. In this video, Mary Ito reports on how Winchester’s inner city children are being provided with the opportunity to learn about growing their own fruits and vegetables. In doing so, the children learn about soil preparation, planting from seed, bugs, weeds, harvesting and the importance of consuming good foods. All of the food grown by the children is used in the school lunch program. This is a really worthwhile program in which the children benefit from eating fresh produce as well as learning about where...

In most Western countries we treat the symptoms, rather than identifying and addressing the root causes, of disease. It’s no surprise that the leading cause of premature death in Western society is heart disease. Our never-ending quest for efficiency, convenience and uniformity is making us sick. We’re overweight, we’re stressed and we’re tired. In this video, four children let us know that they are aware of the problem and would like us to do something about it. They’re asking for better foods to be served in schools. It’s a simple yet important message they have to share. With so much of our children’s learning taking place in the school environment these days surely it makes sense to teach the benefits...

Greg Christian is someone who cares. He cares a lot in fact. As founder and Chairman of the Organic School Project, he’s played an important role in bringing positive food choices to thousands of children. We first talked with Greg while undertaking research for our article on organic choices in schools. As a professional chef, Greg doesn’t assume that he has the requisite credentials to teach others what is, and isn’t, healthy. Instead, he simply aims to help young people learn more about positive food choices. What are positive food choices? In this short video, Greg explains exactly what he means by food being “positive”. Essentially, Greg believes food should be sourced respectfully. He emphasizes the need...

A lot of children enjoy the responsibility of managing their own garden. At first attempt it is preferable to restrict the overall size and complexity. Early success and positive reinforcement can be easily achieved by keeping things manageable. The necessary equipment need be no more sophisticated than a hand trowel, a sturdy pair of boots, some reinforced gardening gloves, sunhat, fertile seeds, scissors, string, and a decent watering can. Salad gardens are a great choice for children who appreciate routine and enjoy contributing in their own way to family meals. Salad greens are particularly easy to grow organically and are equally suitable for outdoor plots, container gardens, and window boxes. They are visually decorative and a combination...

In today’s world, a thoughtfully designed organic garden is one of the safest and most productive environments for children to engage and develop the full range of their physical and mental abilities. Without question, this depends upon an adequate level of adult supervision and an awareness of each child’s tendency to absorb both safe and unsafe practices through their capacity for close observation and imitation. Like most learning situations, garden safety requires constant instruction and practical application from individuals who elicit the respect and trust of their charges. By consistently demonstrating a strong commitment to garden and outdoor safety, parents and supervising adults can gradually promote a similar response in...