222) Edible Schoolyard Learnings

(Photo from Volunteer Spot.)

I sped read through Alice Waters' Edible Schoolyard for work a couple of days ago (I love that planning demands that I read. LOVE.) I was familiar with Waters' food revolution, but had never read any of her writing. The two maybe obvious yet still insightful points that came out of it:

1) Kids are infinitely more likely to eat food that they made with their own hands. There's a sense of pride, a sense of ownership that comes from being the chef (or sous chef). And in a broader sense, involving someone in the creation process makes them more invested, and more likely to have a favorable opinion of and continued engagement with the finished product.

2) The power of the table in bringing people together. The table is a place of commune, and the food, the social glue. Think of how many social get togethers involve food and drink.

It's been a long short week and I am insanely sleepy. I'm writing this from the office, comforted by the knowledge that I can sleep in tomorrow.