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Fashion, Food & Fitness Board on a Roll [Image: tour1] [Image: tour2] [Image: tour3] On December 7, 2007, the Pointe Coupee Parish 4-H Fashion, Food, & Fitness (FFF) Board went on a field trip full of learning and excitement. They went on a tour at Whole Foods Grocery in Baton Rouge. Their tour guide, Libby Quintana, Store Promotions Specialist, gave them information and tips on foods that can help you stay healthy. She informed the group that Whole Foods is much more than a grocery. She started the tour by showing the Board the non-toxic toys they carry. Ms. Libby then took the group down the bulk aisle and spoke to them about food safety. The members sampled foods and items that were grown both natural and organic. She told the group that Whole Foods is a sampling store and provided each person with a taste of veggie chips that had no additives or preservatives. She encouraged all of them to read the food labels to check for additives and preservatives. The next sample she gave the group was sweetened and dried blueberries. Sampling the honey roasted peanut butter and cashew butter, were such a hit that many of the members returned to purchase the peanut butter. The group then moved to the produce aisle where Ms. Libby taught the group the difference between natural and organic. She provided the participants with a taste of grape tomatoes and told them that they try to purchase their products locally then domestically, and last, internationally. Ms. Libby showed the members the USDA Organic symbol on a lemon juice product and spoke about the standards for USDA to follow. The next step in the store was the cut fruit area and tasting of Costa Rican pineapple. It was interesting to learn about the working conditions of some of the employees – especially the cut fruit workers. They cut fruit just before it is ripe in a 32º F room and wear coats and gloves to stay warm. Ms. Libby told the group that Whole Foods does not like to waste. For example: they compost the fruits that aren’t sold. She also spoke to the group about Earth University which is a program that “gives back”. It’s a good steward program that teaches generations business practices, fair trade, etc. – anything to sustain businesses. They also try to purchase goods from businesses who participate in Earth University. Next up on the sampling was trying lemon thyme salmon or sockeye. The Fish Mounger told the group a little about his products. Libby also told about their standards for purchasing seafood. Ms. Libby then referenced to the meat department and pointed out the wide availability from duck, to lamb, to pork. She also informed the group about the animal compassion program and how they track the free range animals they purchase. One surprise was tasting buffalo chili. The group then moved to another area of the store and tried pomegranate juice with blueberries. They learned about its antioxidants properties. Goat yogurt was the product that was tried with the most hesitation. Many were surprised that it wasn’t as “bad” as they had thought or envisioned it would be. The next stop in Whole Foods was the bakery. There they learned of eight bake houses in the country that par-bake breads and some desserts for the Whole Foods Stores. Orange white chocolate royale bread was a sweet treat among the samples the group had. Ms. Libby spoke about donating their unsold breads to the Food Bank. The most talked about sample of the tour was Aztec Gelato which was made of cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and chili power. The tour ended with a group photo including Ms. Libby. The members were so thrilled about their tour that they decided to go back and purchase items there. The 4-H FFF Board also went to Bath Junkie, a place they had tried to visit for four times. It was the first time going to Bath Junkie for most of the members. They were so excited to finally be able to go that they jumped right in to the “driver’s seat”. They made bath supplies and lotions out of numerous scents that had them struggling with which two scents to use. Surprisingly, Bath Junkie also provided masculine scents for our male members. Bath Junkie also gave the members a chance to decide on the colors, scents, bags, and accessories they wanted. The 4-H Fashion, Food, & Fitness Board then held their December meeting in Bath Junkie. They discussed the upcoming Christmas Caroling to Lakeview and Pointe Coupee Nursing Homes and planning the 4-H Sew With Cotton Contest. The members enjoyed themselves and had fun socializing. Those 4-H’ers participating in the tours and activity were: Kayla Bergeron, Katherine Robillard, Maddy Barbay, Alanna Williams, Jasper Williams, Nathanael Williams,. Angel Chang, Shanetria Pierson, Ciara Collins, and Linde Ahlskog. Thanks goes out to Layne Langley, 4-H Agent, and to the parents Mary Robillard, Dana Barbay, and Melissa Bergeron who took their time out to be our chauffeurs and transport us to our destination. In order for us teens and young adults to succeed, we need our parents support and that’s what we got, thanks.

Posted on: 12/14/2007 10:30:55 AM