Produce Picasso: A Day of Fun & Flavor

We are excited to announce the launch of a new outreach program “Produce Picasso” that gives kids an opportunity to explore healthy eating in a whole new way. The inaugural class took place recently at Torrey Pines Resource Community Center. A little more than a dozen kids ages 8-14 gathered for a morning of fun and flavor… so much fun a few of the parents decided to join in as well!

We started off with an exclusive tour of the community center’s professional kitchen. The tour set the stage for a day of learning and creativity as the kids were able to see the equipment chefs use to make culinary masterpieces, and some of the kitchen utensils they would be using later that day. They also toured the whole community center to learn about their other offerings such as a full gym and basketball court where students can engage in healthy, active play. 

Next it was time for a little taste and learn class led by our education partners at the University of Nevada, Reno Extension. They covered fun facts about the produce we would be playing with that day – including grapes, oranges, and strawberries. Each kid also had a chance to try each piece of produce, evaluating its sensory attributes such as observing color, taste, texture, etc. Many kids were saying things like “this tastes sour, but also very sweet” or “this grape is really crunchy!” 

Once the class was over, it was time to get back in the kitchen to play with their food… literally! Chefs Johnny Torres and Jamie Poltrock from South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa led fun chef demos on how to make a caterpillar out of oranges, grapes, and strawberries and how to carve a rose out of a watermelon! The students also had a chance to use cookie cutters to cut fun shapes into melons like honeydew, cantaloupe, and pineapple. The students had a lot of fun making their edible masterpieces as they experimented with flavors and textures, creating dishes that were as stunning to look at as they were delicious to eat! 

From flower towers to carving out their names, or making cute pineapple horses and unicorns – the kids sure had fun designing their own culinary creations. There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of enjoying a meal you’ve made yourself, and our young foodies experienced this joy to the fullest. It was also great to see the parents getting involved and having just as much fun as the kids. We love being a part of helping families to make core memories. 

To cap off the day, each kid that attended received a bag of fresh produce including clementines, strawberries and grapes, so that they could continue exploring, and tasting, the produce at home. The bags also included nutrition education handouts for the parents and a Choose My Plate placemat. 

Many thanks to Chef Johnny Torres and Chef Jamie Poltrock, and the culinary team at South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa, and our nutrition educators at University of Nevada, Reno Extension who made this fun-filled day possible! If you want to be a part of the team helping to make a difference in the life of a child, make a donation today!