Children attend healthy eating camp

DEKALB — April Panknin is helping kids avoid bad-eating habits, and she's starting by changing their perception about healthy foods.

Kids who are taking part in the Healthy Food Healthy World Kids Camp in Panknin's DeKalb home during spring break are trying new foods, learning about nutrition and doing fun exercises. The camp runs through Friday, and Panknin hopes to have summer sessions.

"Who better to teach than kids and try to transform their thinking early on," Panknin said. "I'm a firm believer that bits and pieces (of information) add up over a lifetime. The more they hear it, the more likely they are to make better choices."

Panknin has a master's degree in family and child studies and has been working with children for about eight years. She wanted a chance to teach kids more about what they're eating and how it affects their bodies.

Four girls ages 8 to 9 are participating in the camp this week, including Panknin's daughter. Their day started with breakfast, reading and games followed by a half-hour of short-burst exercises. They helped make healthy fruit smoothies with spinach and hemp seed oil. They also helped make a healthy cake that included coconut, pineapple and banana.

Panknin did a demonstration showing the girls how much sugar is in food that many people consider healthy. She filled clear jars with the same amount of sugar that was in a can of pears or a can of whole berry cranberries to show them just how much sugar they're consuming when they eat those foods. They also went over different names for sugar such as dextrose and fructose.

Panknin wants kids to learn that just because food is healthy doesn't mean it tastes bad. She said taste is only a small factor in how kids experience new foods.

"The way (food) looks is important; the way it feels in their mouth and the number of times they've tried it are important," Panknin said.

Panknin said kids and adults have preconceived ideas of how food is going to taste even before trying it. One of the biggest obstacles in getting kids to eat healthier, she said, is a lack of education and common misconceptions about how healthy food will taste.

Panknin also tries to point out food myths in the media, such as the dairy industry's "Got Milk?" campaign.

She said pasteurized milk is more of a detriment to a person's diet than a benefit, and she wants to show kids that people pay a lot of money to make their products look and sound good.

Each day ends with a journaling session, where the girls review some of the things they learned that day. Jada Edwards, 9, said her favorite part of Monday was learning about sugar and why it's not healthy.

"You can lose your energy," said Ashli Davis, 8, during the discussion.

Ashli also said that even when something looks like it's going to taste bad, people should at least try it.

"It's always important to remember that different doesn't always mean it's bad," Panknin told them.

Later this week, Panknin will be doing a segment on pomegranates, which is a food she thinks many kids aren't familiar with.

"Most people don't know anything about it - what it looks like, how to eat it," Panknin said. "We'll actually be able to take it apart and pull the seeds out."

Panknin said writing in journals gives the girls an opportunity to bring what they learned home to their parents and share healthy food recipes. She said many parents think it costs more money or takes a lot more time to prepare healthier meals, which Panknin said isn't always true.

"In some instances, it does," Panknin said. "But it's doable. It's an investment in your health."