My Foodie Call

Did you know that yesterday was Food Day 2013?

Food Day is an annual event that celebrates food that is healthy, affordable, and sustainable. All the while keeping the environment in mind. Food activists from all over the nation plan cooking classes, movie screenings, dinners…you name it.

All events are done to help carry out the mission of Food Day.

October 24th. Yes, yesterday was Food Day for 2013.

Although I was unable to participate in Food Day 2013 on a large-scale, I decided to instead take the mission into my youngest’s classroom.

What I did was very similar to the My-Foodie-Call Family’s Pumpkin Smoothie Challenge. Remember this post?

Well that’s what the 1st grade kids at Laurel Hill Primary got.

A Pumpkin Smoothie Challenge

First off with the kids, I wanted them to know why I was there. I did a short schpeal on Food Day 2013. The kids did not need to be bored with the fine details of Food Day, so I just chose to discuss three basic things:

• Staying away from pre-packaged foods.
• About our Pumpkin Smoothie Taste Challenge.
• Why pumpkin is good for our bodies.

I brought these items as visuals to help them remember that pumpkin has beta-carotene for their eyes. I thought for sure I was going to get heckled for my pumpkin art work, but thankfully 1st graders are not harsh critics.

Next the class was divided into two groups.  Here they are finding out if they will make either “Smoothie 1” or “Smoothie 2”. (but they will try both).

Next we made our smoothies. Here is smoothie number 1 in action.

Both complete, in appropriately numbered cups, and ready for sampling.

6-year-old My-Foodie-Call member sampling the two, although we all know he has done this game before. (shhh…).

A classmate modeling a pumpkin mustache.

She asked me to come see. Love.

Voting time…

The top-secret voting pumpkin.

Time to tally.

One vote for smoothie number 2.

Their super fab 1st grade teacher made the Smoothie Challenge into a mini math lesson. Awesome.

Another math table. More tallying.

And the winner?

Number 2!

The Colossal Pumpkin Smoothie.

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons agave
• 1/2 cup pumpkin
• 1 1/4 cups vanilla almond milk
• 1 cup ice

Place all ingredients in your blender and blend, blend, blend!

The morning was a success. Mission accomplished.

Two things for you to think about.

1) Next year for Food Day 2014:

Seek out an event or host your own. www.foodday.org

2) Try the Pumpkin Smoothie Taste Challenge at home with your own family members. Let me know who wins!