Eat Your Veggies, And Read About Them, Too
The only “fresh” veggies we had access to in school were canned green beans ladled out by the hair net wearing cafeteria ladies. In high school it was a banner occasion to get a salad bar. I still remember piling on too much shredded cheese and too many fake bacon bits.
Kimberly Williams-Paisley, actress and wife of country music star Brad Paisley, has written the children’s book “Henry and the Hidden Veggie Garden” in support of the Love Your Veggies Nationwide School Lunch Campaign sponsored by Hidden Valley. Hidden Valley recently awarded $10,000 nutrition grants to 51 U.S. elementary schools to help increase access to fresh produce.
Kimberly and her husband and young son Huck, born in 2007, live on a farm in Tennessee. She wrote the book along with her father, Gurney Williams III, a writer an editor for more than 40 years.
An excerpt from the intro explains her inspiration for the book project…
“I’ve realized that as a parent, I have to work hard to create the environment I want my child to grow up in, and dI have to live the values I want my child to learn. As a veggie lover, it’s hard for me to watch when kids turn up their noses at delicious, fresh food. I want my family to appreciate and enjoy a balanced meal.”
Do you have a backyard or patio garden or do you have a local garden you visit? Do you get your fill of fresh produce at your local Farmer’s Market or grocery store?
We have planted a small tomato and herb garden in our backyard. We are also very fortunate to be able to visit a huge country garden planted by my father-in-law’s cousin. It’s a 40-minute drive, though, so we don’t visit it as often as we’d like. We also live near several produce stands. Although we live in a suburb of Nashville, just a short drive out of town takes you to farm land and crops.
For a chance to win a copy of “Henry and the Hidden Veggie Garden,” just leave a comment about how you get your fill of summer vegetables between now and midnight Friday, July 11.
The book is available through September at www.loveyourveggiesgrants.org for $5.
