Rainforest Seafoods promotes healthy lifestyle at Iris Gelly
FISH IS a rich source of nutrients needed for young bodies and play an important role in helping to prevent many diseases later in life. As part of ongoing efforts to encourage Jamaicans to include more fish in their diet, Rainforest Seafoods has continued providing more of the healthy protein to Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) students at the Iris Gelly Primary School in Kingston.
Fish helps build strong, healthy muscles and bones and helps repair scrapes and scratches that are part of growing up.
Through this effort, Rainforest Seafoods is ensuring that all the students at the school registered for the GSAT examinations in March will have the proper nutrition they need.
“While growing up, we were told that fish is good for the brain. No doubt, children need healthy food, and protein is an essential part of this process. These students will be sitting their GSAT examinations soon, and we want to ensure that they are healthy before and during the process,” said Roger Lyn, marketing manager at Rainforest Seafoods.
Corporate chef, Evrol Ebanks, and his team worked with the school’s canteen staff to prepare child-friendly meals including pineapple fish with coconut and vegetable rice.
“We think healthy and child-friendly when it comes to preparing meals for children. Instead of ketchup, we use fruit punch, and with the fish, we used a light coating of seasoned flour to add a little bit of crunch to the fish,” Ebanks said.
OVERWHELMING EXPERIENCE
Veronica Gaynor, principal at Iris Gelly Primary, said she was elated that Rainforest Seafoods has once again chosen her GSAT students for this initiative.
“The school is in an environment where persons cannot really afford some of the food that the children need for good nutrition. I don’t know how to say thanks to Rainforest for all that they have been doing at the school. It has been an overwhelming experience for the students,” Gaynor said.
More than 180 GSAT students at the institution will benefit from the efforts of Rainforest Seafoods.
Twelve year-old Alliah McLeod, who said she wants to attend Immaculate Conception High School, said she is working hard to make this dream a reality. “I am thankful for what Rainforest Seafoods is doing for us. Many of our parents can’t afford the food we need, and we are grateful to them for helping us,” McLeod said.
Lyn explained that the company is further committed to assisting the school by giving the kitchen a facelift so that the staff can function more effectively and efficiently.