Littlespoons Newsletter

Gradually, all the meals offered at your school will be designed by LEARNING DIET with the main goal of familiarizing children with natural foods.
In addition, through the program, the school has the capacity to implement awareness raising campaigns annually, to organize activities within the classrooms and to provide parental benefits such as participation in specialized workshops in the school, electronic educational material and the four-month the newsletter you are reading now.
The ultimate goal of the program is to improve the health of the Greek population. Starting from this very early age, we aspire, with the valuable help of your school, to create new people who not only love fruits, vegetables, fish, olive oil and fruits but have a more general healthy relationship with food.
We want the younger generation to understand the value of balanced nutrition, to create without pressure but through positive familiarity "flavorful memory" and natural preference for all categories of nutritious Greek food but also to live with self-care.

Panhellenic Nutrition and Health Study (PADD):

According to the first nationwide study on nutrition and health of the Greek population in a representative sample of 4,000 children and adults, the Greek population was found to over-eat saturated fats and protein (mainly because of excessive meat consumption), while intake of polyunsaturated fat (nuts, seeds and oily fish) is very low. Scientists are alert to the danger and urge both government agencies and the private initiative to take action to sensitize the population and improve their eating habits, which will also reduce the incidence of chronic diseases associated with poor nutrition. Within this framework, the littlespoons program of the non-profit corporation LEARNING DIETS is also underway.

Study of Tufts University in Boston:

Dietary school policy is the best way to improve the health of the population
Childhood is a crucial stage in shaping the eating habits followed by the individual in his later adult life. Given that children consume 1/3 to 1/2 of their meals a day in school daily, it is clear that having a good nutritional policy in schools is of paramount importance. According to the study, the supply of fruit and vegetables and, respectively, the restriction of sugary beverages benefit health both in the short and long term. In addition, the study showed that if the dietary policies piloted in current generation schools were applied to current adults when they were children, the consumption of fruit would be 19% higher today and consumption of sugars.

Fruits & vegetables of autumn
Life in Greece does indeed present several difficulties, especially in recent years due to the general economic situation. However, one of the greatest benefits of living in this country is the abundance of fruit and vegetables that are heavily grown in our country. As we say goodbye to the summer for the good, there is no reason to offer children "summer" fruit and vegetables when they are already growing in the autumn. In this way, children are not bored by consuming the same food, but instead have the opportunity to change and recall the seasons depending on the offered fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, when choosing fruits and vegetables of the season, parents can be sure they are fresh and as far as possible without hormones, especially when they are organic. Finally, seasonal fruits and vegetables create an amazing opportunity for a simple and very entertaining family walk. Go with your children to your local folk market and discuss the products of the time.
Instead of tomato and cucumber, lettuce, green salads, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower and beetroot come to the fore. Correspondingly, apples, pears and pomegranates come in place of watermelon, melon and grapes. You can have your list together, shop together, smell the products, sometimes try them, put them in the bags and somehow so smoothly integrate them, if not immediately into the children's diet, at least at the family table, for familiarity and temptation.

Fruits & vegetables of autumn
Life in Greece does indeed present several difficulties, especially in recent years due to the general economic situation. However, one of the greatest positive things to live in is the abundance one of the fruits and vegetables that are heavily grown in our country. As we say goodbye to the summer for the good, there is no reason to offer children "summer" fruit and vegetables when they are already growing in the autumn. In this way, children are not bored by consuming the same food, but instead have the opportunity to change and recall the seasons depending on the offered fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, when choosing fruits and vegetables of the season, parents can be sure they are fresh and as far as possible without hormones, especially when they are organic. Finally, seasonal fruits and vegetables create an amazing opportunity for a simple and very entertaining family walk. Go with your children to your local folk market and discuss the products of the time.

Instead of tomato and cucumber, lettuce, green salads, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower and beetroot come to the fore. Correspondingly, apples, pears and pomegranates come in place of watermelon, melon and grapes. You can have your list together, shop together, smell the products, sometimes try them, put them in the bags and somehow so smoothly integrate them, if not immediately into the children's diet, at least at the family table, for familiarity and temptation.

My child does not eat fruit
A very common problem that afflicts parents is the difficulty of their children with the fruits. Whether because of taste or texture, many children find it difficult to fit into their diet. In addition to the familiarization efforts mentioned above, it is important to create positive experiences with fruit.
For example, when a child does not eat apples, it is a bad idea to try to put them in school as a snack. An apple that has been cut for hours has been blackened, its taste and texture have been altered, and probably will not have an unpleasant odor. Instead, it is much preferable to offer the apple in the house, freshly cut and possibly as a dessert. Cutting the apple into pieces adds little lemon, honey and cinnamon to create a completely different flavor experience.
Another nice idea is apple chips. To make them, cut very fine apple slices sprouted with minimal olive oil and bake over non-stick paper in the oven (better in the air) until crisp and sprinkle with cinnamon.