SHAKER HEIGHTS - A lot of parents these days are caught in a quandary. It's a heart-wrenching situation known to transform peaceful settings into tense environments. Normally, it begins with a tiresome, parent-child bickering similar to:
Parent: "Eat your peas."
Child: "I don't like peas."
Parent: "They're good for you, so eat them."
Child: "I don't want to."
Next, it escalates into a squabble that can persist for an hour. At times, longer. Once mealtime ends, therein lies a frustrated, defeated parent, and the child who won yet another vegetable fight.
And so, in the world of parenting, the picky-eater syndrome is indeed the talk of the town.
Kristin Kuhn, Hathaway Brown's Director of Early Childhood and Primary School Admission, is quite knowledgeable about this concern. "Food is a hot topic for families - what do you serve your kids, how do you serve them, picky-eaters, food allergies, all of that," she said.
Kuhn added that parents also want to feel comfortable knowing their children are making healthy eating choices - even while mom and dad are away.
Hence the need for Hathaway Brown's Family Food Fest held Saturday, October 11, from 9 a.m. to Noon. The timely event marked HB's premier effort to bring several organizations together in one setting with a plan to address the importance of fitness and healthy eating.
Dozens of families attended and learned techniques great for home use. In the school's atrium, vendors such as YoNanas and University School provided organic, natural foods for sampling. A company known as Raw Trainer/doTerra shared oil samples beneficial for skin care, migraines, depression, digestive issues, and stress. Sustainable Cleveland promoted its "Zero Waste" initiative and educated visitors on the importance of composting.
Preschoolers chopped and grated apples in one of the classrooms, as they took pleasure in producing their own, hand-made applesauce. Such experiences play a key role in healthy eating, said Julie Harris, a Pre-K HB instructor.
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"Stevie and Kirsten's Pasta" is perfect for the busy family, he said. It happens to be a quick, easy recipe parents and children can prepare together.
Hathaway Brown's Family Food Fest was free and open to the public. Kuhn teamed up with Kathleen Osborne, who is HB's Director of Communication, and several sponsors to host the event.
HB's main partner, however, was
, a weekly, free online resource owned and published by Jenny Steadman. It's an e-newsletter that lists kid and family-friendly events in the community. Parents can stay in the loop by s
"Macaroni Kid Cleveland East and Hathaway Brown School have worked together on different advertising campaigns and promotions for the past 5 years," said Steadman. "To come together for this educational and fun event was a no-brainer."
Additional vendors and raw products included:
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: This program provides hands-on gardening lessons for third-grade classrooms and children with special needs. Teachers receive a garden kit that includes several
such as seeds, soil, grow lights, and a worm farm. So far, more than 5,000 Veggie U garden kits have been placed in classrooms in 36 states. Learn more at VeggieU.org.
- Vitamix: Serena Dunfee, a Vitamix representative, used spinach, green grapes, bananas, and water to blend a smoothie using Vitamix's Certified Reconditioned Standard machine. Visit Vitamix.com to view a listing of products.
Also in attendance were groups such as Edible Cleveland, Williams-Sonoma, Whole Foods, Good Greens, Greater Cleveland Food Bank, AVI Food Systems, Cleveland Clinic, and more.
Pre-K instructor Julie Harris said she appreciates HB's willingness to put together this event. "I've been here for a while," she said. "I'm just so grateful we're doing this."