Smart Foodlfor Healthy Children

ABOUT US

Anda Avramescu, MD works as a

physician specialising in diabe-

tes, nutrition and metabolic dis-

eases at the “Paulescu” Institute

for Diabetes and Nutrition in Bu-

charest.

She also works with private

clinic Medicover, offering nutri-

tion counseling, healthy lifestyle

counseling and family practice

consultations.

Cornelia Marin is a nutrition con-

sultant and trained economist

who has been working in the food-

service industry for 12 years. As a

healthy eating devotee for 22

years, she is one of the owners of

the first healthy food restaurant in

Romania. She promotes a healthy

lifestyle, permanently creating

new menus tailored for people

who want to lose weight and eat

healthily.

ANDA AVRAMESCU CORNELIA MARIN

The School for Health Association was created by Daciana Sarbu

MEP, together with Anda Avramescu, MD and Cornelia Marin

(nutrition consultant) with the purpose of helping Romanian

parents in their efforts to learn the principles of healthy nutri-

tion, for the benefit of raising healthy children.

SCHOOL FOR HEALTH ASSOCIATION

DACIANA SARBU

Daciana Sarbu is a Member of the European Parliament for Romania. She sits

on the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health

and Food Safety, as well as the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Develop-

ment. She studied law in Timisoara, and has a master’s degree in Commercial

Law, as well as Political Management. She is a Social Democrat. She has a long-

time involvement in environmental issues, as well as a keen interest in the de-

velopment of organic and small-scale farming in Romania.

Her interest in nutrition inspired her to pressure the EU institutions to

strengthen their programs promoting healthy eating to parents, to toughen the

rules of advertising aimed at children, and to create healthy lifestyle guidelines.

The School for Health Association is her initiative designed to directly help par-

ents learn about their choices regarding food for children.

SMART FOOD FOR HEALTHY CHILDREN

OUR PROJECT

P h o t o H e a d i n g

The project is a national tour of di-

rect meetings with parents of pre-

school children (2-6 years old).

Each event consists of presenta-

tions of the principles of healthy

eating, as well as detailed explana-

tions of nutritious ingredients, “bad

foods”, and recommended cooking

techniques. Illustrative cooking

demonstrations are also included.

10 LESSONS

ABOUT CHILDREN’S

HEALTHY EATING

All those participating in the meetings receive a

brochure - written and printed by the Association -

containing vital information to help them prepare

the daily menu for their children.

They also receive a guide of the recommended food

groups and portions for pre-school children.

IASI

THE STORY SO FAR

The kindergarten teachers wel-

comed the initiative and ex-

pressed their great interest in

the project, remarking on their

lack of information and guid-

ance regarding healthy eating.

MEETING THE TEACHERS

The project was announced in October at a press confer-

ence in Iasi (one of Romania’s largest cities), followed by

a visit to a local kindergarten in order to gauge the

teachers’ reaction.

MEETING THE PARENTS

The parents expressed their awareness of the impor-

tance of nutrition, but also their confusion regarding

what was best for their kids. They had a long list of

questions and were deeply involved in the dialogue

that followed. They remarked on the need for medi-

cal information, and also for learning creative tips

and tricks devised to convince children to eat vegeta-

bles or to give up sugary snacks.

PLOIESTI

THE STORY SO FAR

P h o t o H e a d i n g

The founders of the Association focused

their presentations around 10 “lessons”

containing the most important information

needed in order to feed children the right

way. These lessons included details about

the “good” and the “bad” fats, the damaging

effect of sugar, the importance of getting

kids involved in food preparation, and the

significance of personal example.

The parents were taught to read and in-

terpret labels: first they were presented

with the information they should look

out for on a label and the recommended

amounts for various ingredients. Then

the labels of a few common products for

children were analyzed and interpreted

from a nutritional viewpoint.

THE LESSONS THE LABEL-READING

The first actual event took place in Ploiesti (another of Ro-

mania’s largest cities), where the three founders of the As-

sociation invited the parents to learn, ask questions and…

taste their cooking!

THE COOKING

After the theory came the practice. Trying to prove the point that

healthy food is not only nutritious, but also tasty and easy to make, Daci-

ana prepared a colorful salad of various vegetables with a flavorful gar-

lic-and-nuts dressing.

The guests were able to taste it, along with freshly-baked bread pre-

pared in front of them by a guest from the organic farmers’ association.

The special treat was banana cake baked the previous night by Daciana

and her 2 year old daughter, Irina - a convincing demonstration of the

benefits of getting children interested in the cooking process.

PLOIESTI

THE STORY SO FAR

P h o t o H e a d i n g

The parents (and grandpar-

ents!) present had a variety

of questions and were es-

pecially keen to learn about

replacing standard ingredi-

ents in their kitchen with

nutritionally-richer alter-

natives.

THE LESSONS

ENTHUSIASM & RECEPTIVENESS

Thus may be summarised the participants’ atti-

tude towards the event. They were eager to learn

all the varied new things, such as the benefits of

using millet in cookies, how much sugar was in a

can of carbonated drink, why bread should be

wholegrain, or how to turn simple vegetables into

funny-looking spaghetti.

INSPIRING OTHERS

P h o t o H e a d i n g

A few days after the launch of the Smart

Food for Healthy Children initiative, the

idea gained new supporters and the Asso-

ciation was invited to judge a children’s

painting competition. The subject? Healthy

food!

PAINTING THE PICTURE

OF HEALTHY FOOD Bucharest

LITTLE CHEFS Petrosani, Hunedoara

Inspired by the campaign and the Association’s

brochure, a school from Petrosani put together a

healthy recipes competition for children. The

inventive cooks created savory treats in original

shapes and combinations and the Association

rewarded them with adequate prizes: lots of

fresh fruit.

Contact us by e-mail:

scoalapentrusanatate@gmail.com

dacianasarbu@yahoo.com

Visit our Facebook page

“I know that many families have been badly hit by the crisis, and parents are struggling to put any food on their kids’ tables. But I’m also well aware of the fact that, unless we learn to feed our kids healthily,

we will witness sick generations grow-

ing up. Many parents are confused by advertis-ing claims and contradicting information. That is why, together with a physician and a nutrition consultant, I’ve initiated these meetings. We want to show them

that you don’t need lots of money or lots of time to feed your kids the right way: all you need is to learn a few basic

principles and to choose carefully what you put on your child’s plate”

Daciana Sarbu

Smart Foodl for Healthy Children