TGIF Wraps Up the March Session

Friday, April 4th, 2025

Photo Credits: FARSB

FARSB's The Goodness in Food (TGIF) program has wrapped up the Spring session for March 2025!

TGIF is our child nutrition program that focuses on teaching children from second to fifth grade, and this last session was a success! With the help of our dedicated Program Coordinator, Lloyd, our attendees got the chance to grow sprouts from seeds, learn healthy eating habits, and get hands-on experience at a local farm.

Through the program, children learn more about how food gets from the farm to their plate and ensure they realize the impact that fresh produce and farming practices have on their lives.

Let's take a look at how the Spring 2025 Session went!

Interactive Learning

Nutrition is a large part of growing up healthy, and teaching kids about the food cycle is an important part of learning how food grows, how it affects their bodies, and how it affects the environment around them. As attendees learned how to plant a seed and grow their sprouts, they learned about plant growth and the ins and outs of sustainable growing practices.

TGIF instructor, Lloyd, shows attendees how to plant their seeds.

During this session, kids got a chance to get their hands dirty as they planted seeds for a new plant. Attendees each received a small amount of seeds to plant in a pot and were able to watch the sprouts grow through the rest of the month. Each Saturday, the kids checked in on their planters to ensure they were getting enough water and sunlight to grow.

TGIF attendees potted plants.

As the month continued, the kids saw the plants sprouting through the soil and learned how the growth cycle works.

Not all kids see how their food grows from the ground, and getting this experience shows them how farm-to-table food is better for their health, how sustainable practices are necessary to keep food production for the entire population sufficient, and to push for healthier food choices for growing children.

Potted plants are in different stages of growth and highlight the differences in the process with the various water schedules. Look at those sprouts peeking out!

Healthy Snacking

During our third week, attendees watched a presentation from special guest speakers from California Baptist University, who spoke to the group about choosing healthy snack options. They even brought along a dozen fruits and veggies to show the different options and introduced some new produce items to those who haven't tried them before.

Along with an interactive presentation on choosing healthier snack choices, attendees got to check on their sprouts from the weeks before to ensure they're still growing!

Learning from the Master: Field Trip to Overflow Farms

Overflow Farms' Master Grower showing TGIF attendees fresh produce.

One of the highlights of the month is the field trip to Overflow Farms! This special trip allows attendees to see how fresh food is grown from the ground up, and how much hard work and dedication it truly takes to grow the produce they see at the grocery store. The kids get to learn firsthand from master growers about how to have a successful harvest.

During this visit, they got to see the resident turtles, try various freshly-grown veggies, and pick some harvest-ready items themselves. Each kid also got to keep a bag of the produce they picked to take home with them for their families to enjoy!

Wrap-Up

Getting kids to eat their fruits and vegetables can be tough, but when they know what types of options are available to them - and how great they taste - making healthier choices is much easier.

TGIF is a great program and helps children learn about sustainable farming, the food cycle, and what healthy options are best for their health, so they continue to grow up happy and healthy.

If you missed the Spring Session, but are interested in the TGIF program, visit: FeedingAmericaie.org/TGIF for upcoming sessions.