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Pupils of the St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic School examining a "giant" food label following a presentation on??Healthy Eating at a Low Cost??by Nutrition Officers as part of Nutrition Week, which started??Sunday and ends on Saturday, June 1. (M. Rollock/BGIS)??

"If we grow more food, we would have to buy less of it." Class Four pupils of the St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic School were taught this valuable lesson today during a presentation on Healthy Eating at a Low Cost by Assistant Nutrition Officer, Glencill Taylor, as part of Nutrition Week.

It was the first in a number of activities planned for the week which started last Sunday and ends on Saturday, June 1. This year’s theme is Eating for Less – Plan, Produce, Prepare.

??"You can grow fruits, vegetables and herbs in pots and containers at home if you are cramped for space… If you have local fruit trees, then there is no reason to buy fruits. Some apples cost less than $1 but a pack of potato chips could cost you up to $2 or more. So you can get fruit for less than the snacks that you buy which are not as nutritious," Mrs. Taylor explained.

Pupils also learned about the Six Caribbean Food Groups; how to cut down on fried foods by using alternative cooking methods such as baking or boiling; how to read food labels correctly; and how to save money by cutting back on fast foods.

"Another way to eat for less and save money is to prepare foods at home. Get involved in preparing meals by helping out your parents and pack your lunches and snacks for school. We also encourage all students to walk with a bottle of water instead of consuming too many fruit juices [which are loaded with sugars]," she advised.

Activities continue on Wednesday, May 29, with a Food and Nutrition Fair in the Car Park of the National Nutrition Centre, Ladymeade Gardens, Jemmotts Lane, St, Michael, from 11:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. It will be preceded by a ceremony in the Conference Room of the Vashti Inniss Empowerment Centre, also in Jemmotts Lane, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

On Thursday, Nutrition Officers will be distributing food labels at Super Centre, Warrens, St. Michael from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. The week of activities will culminate with a presentation on How to Prepare Low Cost Foods at the Maurice Byer Polyclinic, Speightstown, St. Peter, on Friday, May 31, at 9:00 a.m.

melissa.rollock@barbados.gov.bb

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