Tasty Tuesday, an enjoyable program at the Cumberland Cape Atlantic YMCA, offers participants in the Child Care Department a unique, fun, and engaging way to experience a variety of fruits and vegetables. This event allows youngsters to enjoy a selection of produce, some from local farms.
The kids are encouraged to share whether they like or dislike the fruit or vegetable, allowing a sense of interaction and creating a lively and participatory atmosphere. Through Tasty Tuesday, a new fruit or vegetable is given to the children each month, so that they try different kinds of produce.
The Tasty Tuesday program was initiated by Theresa Mckay-Booth, the Y’s senior director of Child Development.
“We know that children should eat more fruits and vegetables, but trying different foods can be a bit scary, said Mckay-Booth. “This program was conceived to help kids realize that new foods can be fun. Plus, healthy foods taste great!”
September kicked off the program with the sweet and juicy flavors of peaches and nectarines, followed by a selection of broccoli and cauliflower in October. In November the children undertook the unique tastes of yellow and green squash, while December introduced the tropical taste of fresh and canned pineapple for comparison.
The new year started with red and yellow grape tomatoes in January. In February, each child tasted blueberries, followed by crisp snap peas in March. In April, the children will be comparing cantaloupe to honeydew and in May, watermelon will be offered.
Tasty Tuesday encourages children to experience healthy, diverse produce options. The kids’ reactions to the fruits and vegetables have been overwhelmingly positive, but so far, their number one favorite seems to be the fresh pineapple.
