This mobile kitchen wants to teach kids to eat healthier

Healthy-eating and school children are often like chalk and cheese. There’s nothing better to a child than a sugar-induced snack rampage, despite older folks’ ongoing pleas for them to eat their greens.

But now, this mobile kitchen is making its way to school playgrounds to show children just how much fun and delicious healthy eating can be, reports The News Herald.

Elly the mobile kitchen is part of an independent food service hired by Burke County Public Schools in the US.

It unfolds into a kitchen that children can use to learn how to cook nutritious meals.

Equipped with stoves, a freezer, microwave, refrigerator, a hand-washing sink and food preparation tables for students to use, and TVs over the cooking areas hooked up to GoPro cameras for better viewing, Elly allows students to gain a hands-on healthy cooking experience.

“It is set up to where we have five different stations so we can have five groups … two on each side and one on the end (which) lets the kids participate,” Peggy Luther, the district manager of the food service told The News Herald.

Childhood obesity is skyrocketing, says @JuneOSullivan – We must improve school menus and teach children about healthy eating https://t.co/1EahmKVQn3 pic.twitter.com/lI2JiRQUFB

— Teachwire (@teachwire) November 22, 2017

Over three days, eighth-grade students were taught to prepare white bean chicken tacos with citrus avocado salsa. Chef, Jordan Keyser, and dietitian, Colette Tyler, showed the students how to select healthy ingredients, how to prepare the meal, and how to customise the meal to their specific tastes and dietary needs.

Elly has travelled over 4,000km and cooked with nearly 2,200 students across the US, with stops in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, New Jersey and now South Carolina.

“We’re always searching for innovative ways to broaden our students’ education, both inside and outside the classroom,” said Burke County Public Schools Superintendent Dr Larry Putnam.

“The fun – and not to mention tasty – food education that Elly will provide helps our teachers, our parents and our community create a healthier future for our students.”

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