‘Fresh’ library offering
Summer series teaches families to learn from meal time
Wanda Robinson knows the value of family meals around the dinner table, as well as the connection between good nutrition and classroom success.
She wants to make sure parents across Broward County get the message, too.
Robinson, a specialist with the school district’s Office of Parent Engagement, created the Hot Food Hot Topics/Fresh Food Fresh Ideas summer series to stress the importance of planning and preparing meals as a family.
This summer, Broward County Library is hosting a series of free events in partnership with Broward schools and the United Way. At each event, parents and caregivers will learn effective reading strategies and discover keys to making healthy meals on a budget. The events also feature door prizes, fun activities, healthy food samplings and a free book for each family.
Under a banner that declares “Cooking time is family time, family time is learning fun,” Robinson works her crock pot magic, demonstrating how to produce low-cost, nutritious dinners, such as lima beans and turkey wings. Families who attend get to taste three different crock pot entrees and leave with a recipe book. A raffle promises that one lucky family will take home a crock pot and a shopping bag of groceries.
“During Hot Food Hot Topics, we talk about all the learning opportunities that go into meal time, from finding resources such as community gardens and farmer’s markets to checking ingredients on the labels,” Robinson said. “Meal time should be a real family affair, a really good hands-on activity.”
Fresh Foods Fresh Ideas includes whipping up fruit and veggie smoothies, said Robinson, who demonstrates with her blender.
“We talk about eating locally and seasonally, and the children discover that spinach does taste good in a smoothie mixed with apples and bananas,” Robinson said.
Robinson said good nutrition contributes to early learning and success in the classroom.
“We know if children are well fed, they perform better in school,” she said. “This is where nutrition and academic success intersect.”
The series will include stops at 5:30 p.m. July 6 at the North Lauderdale Saraniero Branch Library, 6 p.m. July 16 at the Lauderdale Lakes Branch Library, 10:30 a.m. July 22 at the North Regional/Broward College Library in Coconut Creek, 2 p.m. July 25 at the Riverland Branch Library in Fort Lauderdale and 6 p.m. July 29 at the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center in Fort Lauderdale.
For more information, visit Broward.org/Library/WOWUpdate.