Metro North has a partnership with the University of Minnesota Extension Simply Good Eating program. Every month, a dynamic representative comes to class to teach about an aspect of nutrition. It is always interactive, with fake food, real store ads to examine, food containers, food related prizes to take home and a snack at the end. Today’s topic was food safety. Learners had to take colorful pictures of various food items and stick them to the white board in the refrigerator, cupboard, freezer or counter section. Most students did pretty well, but others made some severe errors, such as leaving meat on the counter. It really made me realize the value of the activity, as clearly all of the students have had different experiences with food depending on their cultural background, education level and other factors.
By the end of the class period, all of the students seemed much more confidant in food safety and storage. Each student received a thermometer to take home and test the temperature of their refrigerator and freezer to make sure they were within safe ranges for food storage. It was quite a challenge to explain how the thermometer worked to some students, as some had never seen one before. Even many students who were familiar with a thermometer were baffled by the measurements. It was exciting to observe their enthusiasm to go home and practice what they had learned.
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