Our children are not eating enough vegetables in their daily diet. It’s a plain and simple fact, and you can find all of the vital statistics from the CDC report that they put together in a 7 year period study. There are so many factors that go into why our children aren’t eating enough vegetables, but there’s a change on the way to help. It’s time for an education revolution to happen, and Birds Eye and the Environmental Media Association’s (EMA) “Green My School” initiative is doing just that! What these two companies are doing is just simply amazing. How do I know? Because I was invited to an intimate interview (along with two other fabulous bloggers) with Birds Eye, EMA, and Lance Bass. Yes…that Lance Bass from N’SYNC! Be prepared to be absolutely encourage to help do your part in encouraging our children to more vegetables.
Lance Bass was at his finest when he was discussing plant based nutrition with us, and why he was committed in trying to spread his joy of his on own journey of a plant based nutrition diet. His normal diet would consist of Grandma’s amazing Biscuits with some sausage gravy with crispy thick cut bacon on the side. I could totally understand where he was coming from when mentioned those words of my favorite food group. I’m also a good ol’ southern boy, where biscuits where the main vegetable we ate with every meal. It’s rooted into our very essence of who we are southerners, and it was passed down from family to family over the generations. It’s the food of the soul, not necessarily of the heart.
Lance spoke so passionately of why he thinks that the Birds Eye and EMA #greenmyschool initiative was important. His main thought was that if we teach the children to grow their own food, and to know where food actually comes from, they will make smarter and wiser choices when eating food. Sure, it starts off with just a salad, but as the progress they will start adding cucumbers, tomatoes, and soon…broccoli and many other vegetables. This hands on approach is exactly what they need in learning the important of a plant based nutrition being incorporated into their lives.
Here’s the main goal for Birds Eye and EMA: To create vegetable gardens at 3 different schools a year. However; they’re going to utilize the voice and power of celebrities in bringing greater attention and awareness to their hometown and school district they attended; hence why Lance Bass was involved in my trip to Jackson Mississippi at the Clinton Community Christian Corp.
At the end of the breakfast interview, we completely had a chance to let our inner 12 year old girls squeal with delight with autographs and selfies galore. Lance is a true gentleman, gracious, and so very grounded and down to earth in knowing the person that he is. It was so enjoyable and refreshing!
The reason why he’s looking just so thrilled in this image? My special needs sister colored him some drawings, and I presented him with them. Lance was so adorable and ecstatic in receiving them. I think it totally melted his heart.
It’s Time To Say “Bye Bye Bye” To Unhealthy Eating Habits
Lance Bass, EMA, and the Birds Eye crew were ready to get their hands dirty; all the while trying to encourage and inspire these beautiful young minds about what they were actually planting into the soil.
There were hundreds of plants ready to be planted by these young hands, and everyone there to help plant those seeds of the youth and guide their hands into the soil. Lance gave everyone an enthusiastic introductory speech of importance of gardening and plant nutrition into our lives and onto our plates.
All of these kids were excited and lined up by the dozens to plant their different vegetables into boxed soil gardens. These kids were ready to watch their plants grow, and can’t wait to reap the reward of when they’re ready for harvest!
Each of the students were holding plants with some extra serious love. They didn’t want the plants to fall out of their hands, or have something ruin it.
One by one, box by box, each student was given the guidance, love, and direction on how to dig appropriate sized holes into the soil for the plants, why there were rows of plants with soil elevated, and how to covered the base of the plant appropriately for water retention and optimal soil moisture retention.
No one left with clean hands, and I don’t think that I’ve seen such a happier group of kids, and adults alike, to have dirty hands in knowing that they are planting food for them to eat in the future! All of the hard work, dirt stained fingernails, and slight moisture from the light rain, is going to be worth it. The kids were literally smiling from ear to ear, and it was kinda contagious.
In case you don’t know EMA very well, here’s some great background information. The Environmental Media Association believes that through television, film and music, the entertainment community has the power to influence the environmental awareness of millions of people. This initial concept set the stage for their 1989 launch and it remains a core EMA tenet today. EMA mobilizes the entertainment industry in educating people about environmental issues, which in turn, inspires them to take action. Throughout the year, EMA participates in and creates celebrity-driven eco-focused events that garner vital media and public attention. They regularly network with writers, directors and producers, helping shape plotlines that seamlessly incorporate environmental messages. The work that EMA has done for over 20 years has helped inspire millions of people to reduce air pollution, ensure clean water for drinking and recreation, protect endangered species, preserve open spaces, minimize waste, promote a safe food supply and live more environmentally sustainable lives. To learn more and become an active member, please be sure to visit EMA at http://green4ema.org
Birds Eye is doing an amazing part in our daily eating rituals in making them as healthy as possibly at touch of a finger with convenience! Birds Eye vegetables is a committed partner in helping families eat more fruits and vegetables. All vegetables are important, but the reality is that 9 out of 10 people in the United States do not eat the proper amount of vegetables, according to the State of the Plate report.
To reverse that trend, we’ve engaged in a breakthrough marketing campaign over the last 4 years, which was lauded by Michelle Obama for its innovative approach to inspire kids and help support mom.
People know they should be eating five servings of vegetables a day – it’s our role to make it possible. While all vegetables are good for you, frozen vegetables offer unique benefits such as year-round availability and affordability, convenience, and low waste. In that light, all of our vegetables must provide the ultimate in taste, color, texture and tenderness. Each crop is carefully tended, checked daily by field experts and harvested at the peak of ripeness. Fresh picked vegetables are delivered within hours to be cleaned and quick-steamed to lock in color, nutrition and taste.
We stay in sync with today’s consumer through innovation. Most recently with Birds Eye Steamfresh Disney veggies and pasta, Birds Eye Steamfresh Protein Blends and Birds Eye Steamfresh Flavorful we’ve proven our leadership by providing new solutions that fit consumer lifestyles. You can visit http://birdseye.com to learn even more!
You can help be the change in forming better eating habits of our youth of today, for a better and healthier tomorrow for us AND our environment.
