Wild about fruits and veggies

The theme is "Go Wild for School Lunch" at a school where adults dress up as healthful foods for pupils.

ST. PETERSBURG - Debbie Grimes would do just about anything to get kids to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.

In her 13 years as Tyrone Elementary School's cafeteria manager, she has dressed as a Care Bear, the Cat in the Hat and Sleeping Beauty's wicked stepmother, all in an effort to entice children to eat healthful foods.

Last week, Grimes spent three hours disguised as a bunch of purple grapes. She cajoled assistant principal Shannon McCutcheon into wearing a broccoli costume. She got her daughter, Chrissy Spinelli, to dress as a Washington apple, and she talked her son-in-law, Jeremy Spinelli, into performing a stint as a 6-foot banana.

Grimes' efforts were part of Tyrone's nod to National School Lunch Week, an annual event spearheaded by the American School Food Service Association. This year's theme, "Go Wild for School Lunch," combined a jungle motif with the association's campaign to interest children in eating more fruits and vegetables.

Grimes believes that when adults go out of their way to spark children's imaginations, kids are more willing to try new things. Experience has shown her that dressing up as a favorite storybook character - or as an appetizing-looking food - sometimes persuades a child to taste something he might be reluctant to try.

Dolores McCoy, nutrition education specialist for Pinellas County Schools Food Service, joined Grimes in a getup of her own last week. Decked out as the "Broc Hunter," a spinoff of the Discovery Channel's Crocodile Hunter, she wore a khaki vest and shorts and a safari hat decorated with fruits and vegetables. She used binoculars to seek out students who were eating healthful foods and rewarded them with colorful stickers and pencils.

"The kids were really excited," McCoy said. "As soon as they knew what I was looking for, they started taking bites of their fruits and vegetables. It encouraged them at least to try them."

While many cafeteria managers' efforts to introduce children to healthful eating are impressive, schools in general suffer from a time crunch, McCoy said.

"Some of the fruits and vegetables take longer to eat," she explained. "It takes longer to eat an apple than it takes to eat pudding, or even a sandwich."

And because the hectic school day no longer permits time for recess, McCoy added, the lunch period usually becomes a child's only opportunity for social interaction.

"I find that when I sit and eat with the kids, they are more anxious to have some time to communicate," she said. "They get wrapped up in being social rather than eating."

Ironically, Gov. Jeb Bush named a task force last week to find ways to fight what he calls an "obesity epidemic" in the state. Task force members agree that the state needs to target children in its efforts to stem the tide.

Unfortunately, McCoy said, no food service personnel have been invited to serve on the committee. Pinellas' assistant food supervisor Art Dunham has contacted the governor's office and is waiting for a response.

Despite the challenges, Tyrone's staff members worked hard last week to spread the word about nutrition. After lunch one of the days, the fruit and vegetable troupe visited a prekindergarten class, then stood at the corner of Tyrone Boulevard and 66th Street carrying signs and waving to passing motorists.

Taking the message into the community is important, Grimes said, because the education process must be presented to adults as well as children. Her hope is that children will tell their parents what they taste at school and begin asking for more healthful foods at home.

"We're offering a lot more fruits and vegetables than ever before," she said. "We're bringing samples into the classroom, and the teachers are including the message in the curriculum."

The bottom line, McCoy emphasized, is making sure children are nutritionally prepared to achieve their maximum potential academically.

"We want to do the best we can for our students," she said. "That's why it was important for the children to see adults involved in this campaign."

Click here for the Neighborhood Times Social Calendar

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times 490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 Contact the Times | Privacy Policy Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright