Roving Chef, Eat Smart Idaho introduce kids to new foods

COEUR d'ALENE — Lunch was all about trying new corn-based foods Wednesday at Northwest Expedition Academy — baby corn, corn muffins, popcorn, corn chips and corn salsa.

"I like it, it's kind of spicy," incoming Hayden Meadows Elementary fourth grader Isabella Bak said after trying a nibble of the salsa on a blue corn tortilla chip.

Wyatt Foulk, who will be in second grade at Dalton Elementary this fall, was a big fan of the muffins.

"But the mini corn, I don't really like it," he said.

While it was a super corny afternoon, it was also enlightening and entertaining for School PLUS students as well as families who stepped in for a free summer meal as the Roving Chef and Eat Smart Idaho representatives shared kernels of corn trivia and nutritional information with knowledge-hungry youngsters.

"They love talking to the chef about different things, how he cooks and how he prepares the food," said Kim Yochum, School PLUS coordinator for Skyway Elementary. "They are very excited to try the new foods. I've seen them trying new things at lunchtime since the Roving Chef has come in and given them other options."

A few fun facts: Corn is a cereal crop that is part of the grass family; an average ear of corn has 800 kernels in 16 rows; corn will always have an even number of rows on each cob; corn was used as money and traded for other products such as meat and furs in the days of early North American settlers.

This is the first summer the Roving Chef and the University of Idaho Extension program Eat Smart Idaho have partnered to bring a variety of Healthy Harvest offerings to summer meal sites, although Roving Chef is conducted throughout the school year.

"We’ve made personal snowman pizzas with the kids and different fun things," district chef Addison Saterfiel said. "Especially in today’s economic climate, it’s hard for families to introduce fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, fresh products, and being able to offer that to kids is major."

Eat Smart Idaho and Healthy Harvest aim to positively impact kids' eating habits by repeated exposure to fresh and healthy foods such as cabbage, sweet potatoes, beans and more. 

"Some of the kids recognize us from during the school year, so it’s fun to build on what they got to do and see during the year, and each week they’re like, ‘What do you have today?’" Eat Smart Idaho coordinator Kali Gardiner said. "They’ll remember us and they’ll be learning about a new food each week and they’re just really excited for that."

Although the Roving Chef and Eat Smart Idaho appearances for the summer have concluded, they will return with the school year. 

Free summer meals are still being served at the following sites, Monday through Friday, which will be the final day of the meal service until school resumes:

• Breakfast: 8 to 9 a.m. Lunch: 11 a.m. to noon. Lakes Middle School, 930 N. 15th St.
• Breakfast: 8 to 9 a.m. Lunch: 11 a.m. to noon. Northwest Expedition Academy, 2008 W. Prairie Ave.
• Breakfast: 8 to 9 a.m. Lunch: 11 a.m. to noon. Winton Elementary, 920 W. Lacrosse Ave.

    Chef Addison Saterfiel gives incoming Hayden Meadows Elementary fourth grader Isabella Bak a sample of blue corn tortilla chips and corn salsa Wednesday during a Roving Chef appearance at Northwest Expedition Academy.
  

    Incoming Dalton Elementary second grader Wyatt Foulk is thoughtfully considering trying baby corn Wednesday during summer meal service at NExA.
  

    Savannah Box, SFE general manager of food service in partnership with the Coeur d'Alene School District, chats with students during summer meal service Wednesday.