Boardman students learn healthy snack options as Tot Chefs

By JORDYN GRZELEWSKI

jgrzelewski@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

Third-grader Kandace Beatty liked her snack so much, she thought about having it for dinner, too.

“It was delicious!” she happily exclaimed, eagerly asking for more apple slices.

She and 29 other West Boulevard Elementary third- and fourth-grade students Tuesday learned how to make “apple sandwiches” – round, red and green apple slices coated in spreads such as soy butter or cream cheese, then topped with ingredients of choice (granola, marshmallows, cinnamon, honey).

The lesson was the second in a six-part program at West Boulevard called Tot Chefs, which teaches children how to make simple, healthful snacks for themselves.

Participants meet after school once a week to learn a new recipe.

“I would rather have them learn how to make snacks that are healthy for them, versus going home and eating cookies and chips,” said Natalie Winkle, the school district’s director of food services.

Winkle made the program happen after securing $6,500 in grant funds from an Ohio Department of Education program. Some of those funds also are being used for nutrition-related programs at Center Middle School.

She was inspired, she said, by her own love of cooking and the fact her children liked cooking when they were growing up.

Third-grader Kaitlyn Costantino – munching on her soy butter, honey and marshmallow concoction – said she’s discovered a love for cooking because of Tot Chefs.

She learned that “cooking is very fun because we do fun stuff with fun food,” she said.

Tot Chefs is led by real-life chef Sean Kushma, culinary instructor at Mahoning County Career and Technical Center in Canfield. At the end of the program, he’ll give the students recipe books with everything they learned how to make.

“We want to try to keep it healthy,” he said, adding that instead of using crisped rice or fruit-flavored snacks, the students use pita bread, for example.

Winkle said she’d like to keep the program going next year and hopes to expand something similar to the district’s other elementary schools.