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- Youth Get the Low Down on Snacks and Beverages During LSU AgCenter Workshop
July 13 was a day for the youth of St. Francisville to learn how to choose healthy snacks and beverages. Layne Langley, LSU AgCenter Area Nutrition Agent, conducted a Low Down on Snacks & Re-think Your Drink Workshop at the Community Center in Independence.
Youth who participated learned about the MyPlate which Langley believes is the foundation to healthy eating. She taught the youth how to read and use the nutrition facts label to look for sodium, fat, and added sugars in their snacks and beverages. Youth participated in Shake Up the Grocery Bag and worked to place food packages in order from high to low in sodium content without using the nutrition facts label. Then, Langley reviewed the placings having the youth look at the sodium content on the label. The students were surprised at what the labels told them about the sodium in the food they placed. They also learned about fats and discovered ways to reduce the amount of fat in a daily meal by making food substitutions. During the physical activity break, the group listened to Langley read a story that included physical activity prompts. This was a fun way to include physical activity into the workshop to get the youth moving.
Also, during the workshop, Langley talked to the students about their beverage choices. She had the group work in teams to place favorite beverage containers from high to low while looking at added sugars. This activity was eye-opening! The students received a quick cooking skills lesson before working together to prepare fruit smoothies. The mixed fruit smoothie recipe was a hit! The students went home with several resources including fact sheets as well as liquid and dry measuring cups and a vegetable/fruit brush.
Special thanks to Mrs. Sara Wilson-Rogers, West Feliciana Parish School Board Member and Healthy Communities Coalition Member, who sponsored the workshop.
For more information about nutrition programs in West Feliciana, contact Layne Langley at 225-635-3614 or at lalangley@agcenter.lsu.edu
Before wrapping up the workshop, participants posed for a picture with the sponsor and Langley. Left to right: Mrs. Sara Wilson-Rogers, Trenton Smith, Timothy Smith, Carissa Ferguson, Jakayla Gwin, Taelor King, Tamauria King, and Mrs. Layne Langley.
Carissa Ferguson and Jakayla Gwin read the labels of these beverages in order to place them from high to low when considering added sugars.
Tamauria King and Taelor King work to determine which beverages had the most added sugars.
Timothy Smith and Trenton Smith each tackle the high low beverage game hoping to place their beverages in the correct order.
Trenton Smith uses shortening to show how much fat is in a daily menu that contained healthier options for substitutions.
Trenton Smith, Taelor King, and Timothy Smith measure and cut ingredients to prepare one fruit smoothie recipe.
Jakayla Gwin, Carissa Ferguson, and Tamauria King prepare one fruit smoothie recipe during the workshop.