Days Of TasteSM Inspires Children To Eat Healthy

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Contact: Lisa Lucas
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Days of TasteSM Inspires Children to Eat Healthy
The American Institute of Wine & Food Hosts Month-Long Educational Culinary Nutrition Fest

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (August 15, 2002) – Lost in a world of fast food, candy bars, and frozen meals lies a horizon of fresh produce and natural flavors undiscovered by many of America’s children. With the dangerous consequences of poor food choices on the rise, The American Institute of Food & Wine (AIWF) wants to encourage eating habits that will help our children live long, healthy lives during the eighth annual Days of TasteSM program.

During the month of October, chefs, farmers, food professionals, teachers and parents across the nation will bring healthy eating and taste exploration to classrooms. The discovery-based program teaches kids how and where food is grown and produced, and gives them the opportunity to compare various taste sensations and flavors by sampling locally grown produce.

Modeled after a successful European program called the “Day of Taste” in which chefs from a number of countries visit French elementary school children, Days of Taste began in 1994 in the U.S. under the auspices of the French Consulate and the New York Chapter of The AIWF.

“The benefits of healthier eating are endless and it’s no secret that healthier habits lead to happier lives,” said Mary Abbott Hess, AIWF chairman and registered dietitian, “We want to introduce children to the abundance of wholesome, nourishing food choices available and their variety of delicious tastes.”

Designed and created especially for fourth and fifth-grade students, the Days of Taste curriculum includes:
7 An explanation of the fundamentals of taste seeks to build a food/nutrition vocabulary and to allow children to experience and compare basic tastes, guided by a chef, food professional and classroom teacher;

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7 A visit with a local farmer allows children to discover the wonder of growth from seed to mature plant and the wealth and variety of locally grown products;
7 The preparation of a harvest salad will help students appreciate the seasonality of locally grown foods and how flavors combine with one another; and
7 A visit to the chef’s restaurant gives students an opportunity to observe restaurant operations and enjoy the sociability of eating a lovingly prepared meal.

Days of Taste events are sponsored regionally by individual chapters of The AIWF. Chapters already planning events for 2002 include Atlanta; Baltimore; Boston; Dallas; Houston; Los Angeles; New Mexico; New York; Northern California; Orange County (Calif.); Philadelphia/Delaware Valley; Piedmont (N.C.); Rhode Island; Santa Barbara; Dayton/SW Ohio; and South Florida.

Established in 1981 by culinary greats Julia Child, Robert Mondavi and the late Richard Graff as a non-profit educational organization, The AIWF was founded on the premise that gastronomy, the art or science of good eating, is essential to quality of life. With more than 7,000 members in over 30 chapters in the U.S. and France, The Institute is dedicated to understanding and celebrating the pleasures, benefits and traditions of the table.

To receive more information on Days of Taste or membership in The AIWF, please call Heidi Yost at (800) 274-2493 or visit our website at www.aiwf.org.