Bon Appetit to teach food literacy class

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Bon Appetit to teach food literacy class
Bon Appetit | Wikimedia Commons

Students from Hillsdale Academy will have the opportunity to participate in a food literacy  program developed by Bon Appétit Management Company, Hillsdale College’s food service provider.

On Feb. 20 and 22, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Bon Appétit Catering Manager Rhula Mitcheltree and Bon Appetit Manager of Food Education for Children Hannah Schmunk will lead students in hands-on lessons about healthy eating and cooking that will guide in making healthy food choices for themselves.

“We believe the program is a good tool to combat childhood obesity and related health issues,” Marketing Coordinator at Bon Appetit William Persson ’17 said. “What we’re teaching them is that they can enjoy their food and still have it be healthy.”

Persson said Bon Appétit held its first Healthy Kids in the Bon Appétit Kitchen program last summer for students in Hillsdale Academy.

“Because it’s almost exactly the same as the last class, we sort of revamped the course because it’s unique that we’re doing it again so quickly,” Persson said. “Based on our last class, they kids are so vibrant and really excited about learning. It’s just going to be such a joy to have them come back because it’s it’s really fun to do it.”

During the knife-safety lesson, Persson said the students will be using child-safe knives and be taught how to properly use the knife by Mitcheltree.

For the vegetable pizzas, Persson said the dough will already be prepared for the students and Mitcheltree is going to demonstrating how to make a quick marinara sauce for the base. While the pizzas are baking, Persson said the students will make rainbow fruit kabobs.

In addition to learning about healthy food, the students will have the opportunity to tour Bon Appétit’s catering kitchen in the Searle Center at Hillsdale College.

“The kids are just always so enthralled by everything,” Persson said. “They love the giant walk-in coolers.”