April 13, 2011
Two School Districts Recognized for Teaching Healthy Eating Program
Nearly 7,000 Santa Rosa and Lee Students Participate in "Xtreme Cuisine" Cooking School
This spring, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is honoring the top performers in its “Xtreme Cuisine” nutrition education program. Santa Rosa and Lee County schools taught Xtreme Cuisine concepts to the greatest number of students this year and will be rewarded with special cooking demonstrations by Chef Justin Timineri, Florida’s culinary ambassador.
In Santa Rosa County approximately 4,150 students took part in the Xtreme Cuisine Cooking School during the 2010-2011 school year, and in Lee County the number topped 2,800. Through this hands-on program, students learned how to prepare nutritious meals and snacks using fresh Florida fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and lean meats. The kids made whole-wheat pizzas, fruit parfaits, and other tasty treats. They also learned how the ingredients used in these recipes provide vitamins and minerals that can help prevent heart disease and other obesity-related illnesses.
“I’d like to congratulate the students who participated and the youth coordinators who brought this important curriculum into their classrooms,” said Nelson Mongiovi, director of marketing and development. “The Xtreme Cuisine program provides students with the information they need to make healthy eating choices now and in the future.”
Chef Justin Timineri, the Department’s executive chef and culinary ambassador, will be in Santa Rosa County on April 14 and 15 to visit four classes at three schools: Gulf Breeze Middle School in Gulf Breeze, Holly Navarre Middle School in Navarre, and Sims Middle School in Pace. On May 17 and 18, he’ll head to Lee County to visit five classes at Heights Elementary in Fort Myers. Chef Justin will be making fruit skewers and guacamole baskets with the students and talking to them about healthy eating and good nutrition. He’ll also play a life-size board game with them called “Start Farmin’,” which teaches kids about where their food comes from.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has been promoting the Xtreme Cuisine program for the last five years. The curriculum teaches students about the dangers caused by excessive amounts of salt, sugar, and fats in their diet, and how fiber can eliminate their desire for high-calorie, low-nutrition snack foods. Kids also learn how many calories are needed for their age and gender, the vitamin and mineral content of many Florida fruits and vegetables, and how to read a food nutrition label.
“Our department is working to become a leader in reducing childhood obesity and the long-term complications associated with it,” Mongiovi said. “Educational programs like the Xtreme Cuisine Cooking School are a key part of this effort.”
