Boys & Girls Club Blog

Tuesdays at the Boys & Girls Club are dedicated to learning about healthy eating for all members. Healthy Habits is our healthy eating program geared towards 6-12 year olds. Members create healthy snacks while learning about basic nutrition facts, reading nutrition labels on various foods and discussing how they can implement healthy choices in their own lives. Protein, carbohydrates, fiber: members learn what these nutrients are and how they affect our bodies all while creating their own healthy snacks!

A few snacks we have made in the past are: smoothies, rice cakes with peanut butter and bananas, avocado turkey roll ups, and peanut butter protein balls- just to name a few. The kids enjoy having active healthy conversations about food and often bring snack recipes home to their families.

As a part of our Healthy Habits program, we plant, tend to and harvest an array of vegetables within our Boys & Girls Club raised garden beds. Our Garden Club program allows us to show our members first hand where some of their foods are coming from. They love to weed and water the gardens while watching the plants grow – and of course sneak a green bean or two while working in the sun!

Teen Cuisine is the teen center’s take on the Healthy Habits program. Teen Cuisine allows teens to learn how to cook healthy meals. From chicken breast to tilapia members get the opportunity to learn about different foods, where the food comes from and how to differentiate healthy vs unhealthy meal options.

Our goal is to educate our teen members so when they continue onto college or the work force they feel comfortable in choosing healthy meal options and know how to prepare and cook those meals for themselves. A few healthy meals we have made this summer are: turkey burger patties, omelets, chicken breast, tilapia and so much more. Teens like learning about healthy alternatives to unhealthy options like turkey bacon versus bacon with only a slight taste difference but a large difference in nutrients.

By: Mackenzie Klawitz, Health & Wellness Coordinator