Healthy lunchbox ideas for children
It might be the school holidays, but some Manawatu¯ children are taking the time to scrub up on their lunch making skills.
On Wednesday, Plant to Plate Aotearoa held a cooking class for children to learn how to make healthy, plant-based lunches.
Children filled Youth Space, in Palmerston North’s Coleman Mall, where they learned to create vegetarian meals as part of Enviro Fest – an annual festival that runs from October 2 to 23.
Shelley Gilmour wanted to get out of the house with her children Connor, 8, and Laura, 7, who both enjoy helping in the kitchen.
Gilmour said her children learned how to make things such as vegetable spring rolls – foods she never thought they would eat.
‘‘The more they cook, the more they want to eat it.’’
Gilmour said her son never ate cabbage, but once it was hidden in the spring rolls he created, he loved it.
Brianna Crabtree, 16, said it was a good event for her younger brother, who learned how to chop vegetables properly without slicing his fingers.
Once the children finished making the food, which included fruit skewers, feta and spinach rolls, and sweet corn pikelets, they sat down to enjoy their hard-earned lunch.
Julia Panfylova, from the Palmerston North City Environment Trust, said Enviro Fest had a particular focus on getting young people involved as they shaped the future of the country.
Other events include learning how to construct a windmill, targeted at high-school aged children.
Panfylova said it would be run by Massey University staff and was aimed at encouraging people to study engineering.
The event is on October 10.