European Fest of Healthy Nutrition and Cooking with Children

published on 1/14/10 2:18 PM

Photo: BGNES

Chef Zhoro Ivanov expresses smiling dignity with his tall white hat. He is among the participants in the European fest of health nutrition and cooking with children, which has taken place in Sofia for a third year now. The event is under the auspices of the European Commission’s Representation in Bulgaria and marks, along with the International Association of Culinary Professionals – Euro-Toques, the European Day of Healthy Nutrition, which traditionally takes place on November 8th. Because of the flu epidemic then, our country had to skip the date, but as the event became a fact, it gathered over 500 children in Sofia’s Inter Expo Centre. 9-12 years old kids from all over the country prepared healthy dishes with the assistance of Bulgaria’s leading chefs. Sofia major Mrs Yordanka Fandakova, along with French and Hungarian ambassadors – Their Excellencies Etienne de Poncins and Judit Lang, were special guests at the event. Together with the kids they prepared Bulgarian traditional and healthy dish tarator /a cold soup with sliced cucumber, fennel, olive oil, some garlic, chopped walnuts and yogurt/.

“Our goal is to popularize the importance of healthy nutrition among kids in an amusing and attractive manner – Mrs Zinaida Zlatanova, President of the European Commission’s Representation in Bulgaria, said. The European Day of Healthy Nutrition and Cooking with Children is part of the EC campaign against overweight. We encourage Europeans to choose a balanced diet and to do more sports. A great part of healthy lifestyle habits are built up in childhood. Children, who realize the importance of healthy nutrition and know how to pick their diet, are more likely to lead a healthy life through adulthood.”

Overweight and especially obesity appear to be problems for the entire Europe. Eurobarometer’s recent research shows that approximately 22 mln. kids have over-weight, 5 mln. of them suffer from obesity. The Bulgarian National Center for Public Health Protection did a research in 2008, which showed that 30.6% of first-graders have over-weight, 17% have excess weight and 15.6% have obesity. “That is why healthy nutrition for kids at home or at school is so important. They should be taught how to choose their food not only by taste, but as quality too” chef Zhoro Ivanov explains, adding:

“We all witness unhealthy practices in food industry. There were problems not so long ago with the quality of milk, yellow cheese and cheese brands that traders offered. The good news is that nowadays Bulgarians do show interest towards healthy nutrition, they learn to read what the packages say and choose good quality. It is parents’ responsibility to pick up their kids’ food, but the children themselves can be very helpful too. As professionals, we also take our share of the responsibility for the kids’ health. It is essential for the food not only to be prepared in a tasty manner, but the nutritional qualities of the products to be preserved too. We cooperate with colleagues from the schools’ kitchens around the country, since there is still a lot of work on nutrition technologies and cooking practices to be done. We often make culinary shows at schools and nursery schools with invitations for dieticians and parents who can see that healthy nutrition can be useful and fun too”.

English translation: Zhivko Stanchev

По публикацията работи: Diana Hristakieva

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