Miami Beach Brings Nutrition Education to Parents and Kids
We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov
OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, Melissa Berthier PRESS RELEASE
Tel: 305.673.7575, E-mail: melissaberthier@miamibeachfl.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2017
Miami Beach Brings Nutrition Education to Parents and Kids
— In Collaboration with the Non-Profit Organization Common Threads —
Miami Beach, FL – One third of America’s children are overweight or obese, putting them at
risk of developing serious and life-threatening health issues. Recognizing this public health
crisis, the City of Miami Beach has partnered with non-profit Common Threads to teach Miami
Beach youth, families and educators on the importance of nutrition and physical wellbeing with
a series of programming.
Starting March 6, a Cooking Skills & World Cuisine class will launch at Nautilus Middle School
and run Mondays and Fridays. Young chefs will learn how to follow a recipe, prepare and cook
ingredients, and pick up proper methods of cleanliness and organization. The class will also
challenge kids to use unfamiliar kitchen tools.
“This initiative engages participants to explore the cultures and cuisines of 10 countries,
teaching them proper cooking techniques and kitchen etiquette,” said Miami Beach Chief
Learning and Development Officer Dr. Leslie D. Rosenfeld. “The notion of cooking a healthy
meal with fresh ingredients sometimes seems not only too expensive, but also unattainable,
due to access, time and know-how.”
Another programming component includes parent workshops, providing interactive
presentations on basic nutrition, grocery shopping and cooking with kids. These sessions are
designed to engage parents, provide nutrition support and encourage healthy eating habits at
home. With dates ranging from March – June, parents can sign up for one-day workshops at
either North Shore Park Youth Center or Scott Rakow Youth Center.
The Small Bites program teaches third through eighth-graders about nutrition and healthy
cooking through a series of eight, one-hour lessons, combining nutrition and knife-free cooking.
Participants will connect math, language arts and science concepts to hands-on experiences
that will give them the tools to live healthier lives. The lessons are aligned to National Healthy
Education standards and support the Common Core State standards and Next Generation
Science standards. Beginning the week of March 6, 2017, students can enroll at the North
Shore Park Youth Center, Scott Rakow Youth Center or Flamingo Park.
We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.
A limited number of no-cost classes are available. For more information, please contact the
Office of Parks and Recreation at 305.673.7730 or visit www.miamibeachparks.com.
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