Pass the Plate

For many, the challenge to eat healthy isn’t the desire, but really understanding how.

 

This realization brought together three diverse organizations to teach our future generations to hold the sugar and pass the plate of fruits and veggies.

 

Since 2014, NBA players have banded together to educate and encourage families on a national scale to “Be Active, Eat Healthy and Play Together.” Locally, Right Moves for Youth takes a similar view, helping Charlotte students live healthy lifestyles, while providing resources and guidance to help students graduate high school with a plan for their future success.

 

These two innovative programs came together for their first Pass the Plate event hosted by Johnson & Wales University. The university, located in Uptown Charlotte, brought the heat Tuesday, March 14, as students and professors welcomed Hornets’ staff and HoneyBees along with 16 high school students from Right Moves for Youth to learn tips for cooking healthy foods and participate in a friendly cooking competition.

 

“At Right Moves for Youth, we understand the value and importance of a whole child approach. The value of education and forward progress are essential, but often times, a student’s health is neglected. One area in particular that can be overlooked is their diet. A lot of our students live in areas of this city that do not have full access to affordable, healthy food options. Our ability to put students in position to understand the significance of what they put in their bodies goes a long way in their development as successful people. The Pass the Plate program showed our students that they can find easy, affordable, healthy snack options that can greatly increase their function as students and citizens in their communities.”

 

When we help students to see their value as consumers and producers, then they often end up like Sandra. As a current Senior at Harding University High School and a dedicated member of her Right Moves for Youth group, Sandra has been accepted to Johnson & Wales University where she plans on using her culinary gifts to prepare incredible meals for people in the future. Our organization has undergirded her passion to have a career as a creator of delicious food options.”- Ryan Grammatico, Program Manager at Right Moves for Youth.

 

As the students received their “Swarm to Serve” apron and chef’s hat, they were given a tour around the kitchen. Each cooking station was lined with fresh fruits and vegetables, savory spices, and masterpiece culinary cooking wear, patiently awaiting the teams to begin. While the RMFY students worked diligently to create the best tasting dip and appealing presentation, they also learned the importance of personal cleanliness when cooking and a few how-tos:

 

• Cook with various types of ingredients
• Pick out spices
• Clean up their work space after cooking
• Chop with the proper knife

Watch these cooking pros!

Charlotte Hornets fans got to see them first on the big screen at the Hornet’s game, Saturday, March 18.

 

Congratulations to the winning team!

 

We would like to extend a HUGE thank you to the Hornets and Johnson & Wales University for sharing the importance of our healthy initiative and making Pass the Plate an incredible experience for our agency partner, Right Moves for Youth!

 

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