Healthy eating at camp
By Keith Loria, Special Writer
It’s always hard to get your children to eat healthy, but when they are spending their days (and sometimes nights) away from you at camp during the summer months, keeping track of eating habits becomes nearly impossible.
Care packages full of baked goods and fun treats are staples of camp life, but rarely are fruits and vegetables included in those welcomed boxes from home. Kids want a taste of Mom’s chocolate chip cookies, not a container of baby carrots.
Rachel Cuomo, a nutrition expert at Kiwi Nutrition Counseling in Princeton, says getting kids to eat the healthy foods they need while at camp is a challenge.
”Unless you have the rare kid who actually prefers vegetables over sweets and junk food, then you can bet they will be eating more carrot cake and less carrots while away at summer camp,” she says. “Getting kids to eat enough vegetables, or any vegetables for that matter, can be very difficult, especially when Mom and Dad are not around to encourage them.”
Often, when kids go to camp, they see the time as a free opportunity to eat whatever they want, filling up on mac-and-cheese and hot dogs while saving room for the ice cream bar, not the salad bar.
Ms. Cuomo says it would be a smart idea for camps to educate their campers a bit on healthy eating, perhaps dedicating 15 minutes on one of the first days to a fun activity that teaches kids why vegetables are so important.
”Focus on reasons that will matter to kids, like vegetables give you more energy for playing sports and they help you see better on the soccer field,” she says. “Second, camps should offer some snacks that are based around healthy foods. Make one snack a day something like celery and peanut butter, carrots and hummus, or peppers and guacamole. Create snacks that look appealing and fun for kids and don’t offer sweets at the same time.”
Another good trick is to puree vegetables into pasta sauces and soups and mix pieces of roasted veggies into meat dishes and casseroles.
Andy Pritikin, owner/director of Liberty Lake in Bordentown, believes teaching campers healthy eating is just as important as any lesson they learn over the summer.
”We made a commitment when I started this place 13 summers ago that we were going to serve healthy stuff,” he says. “It goes to our philosophy of teaching these kids life skills in everything they do. On the soccer field, we teach integrity and resiliency, and we have a green team and we teach them about nutrition and healthy eating as well.”
That means the use of all-wheat bread and wheat bagels and fruit-oriented snacks and desserts. Typical offerings for breakfast and lunch include a very popular salad bar with chickpeas and hummus, a fruit bar and catered meals.
Once a week, the camp does have a junk food day offering cakes and desserts, and at the end of the week, campers get ice cream. Aside from that, it’s healthy eats.
”I feel we have an opportunity here to get kids eating well. At camps, the kids look up to their counselors and if they see a counselor eating an apple, they are going to follow his lead,” Mr. Pritikin says. “I’ve never gotten a complaint from a camper about us using only whole wheat.”
Rambling Pines Day Camp even has kids making healthy foods during cooking activities, not just the cookies and pizzas that are typically found at camps.
Rob Jordan, director of Rambling Pines Hopewell, uses the same service that provides lunch to school districts during the school year.
”We provide a hot lunch choice most days of the week and we offer healthy choices every day,” he says. “Salad and fruit are offered daily. There is yogurt on the menu and whole wheat bread is offered for sandwich choices.”
The camp is very cautious about monitoring food allergies and as of last year removed peanut butter from its menu and replaced it with a very similar tasting soy nut butter product.
Parents need to do their part as well. A camper who comes to camp packed with a lunchbox full of sugary treats is not going to want to eat healthy.
”Parents can send sliced fruit with almond butter, vegetable sticks with low-fat dips like salsa and hummus, popcorn is a whole grain and a great choice for snacking, mixed nuts, a little dried fruit, and a few pieces of dark chocolate chips in with popcorn for a salty and sweet snack,” Ms. Cuomo says. “Bake healthier muffins with zucchini or banana or try to make your own granola bars at home with ingredients like oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. Try making your own sweet potato and kale chips.”
Ms. Cuomo also advises camp cooks to play around with their recipes and mix in more healthy choices.
”Take kids’ favorite camp meals and change some of the ingredients around to make for a healthier option,” she says. “Use low fat dairy, olive oil in place of butter, whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and wheat, and use extra lean meats like white meat chicken, turkey and fish in place of pork and beef.”
Being at camp means new friends to make and trying new activities and kids should also look at this as a time to try new foods too.
”Vegetables and fruits help you stay healthy and fight off infections, they also give you energy to run, jump and play,” Ms. Cuomo says. “Make sure to eat at least three vegetables and two fruits a day to fight off germs and get the most out of your camp days.”
Packet Media Group will hold its 16th annual Camp Kids Sports Expo, Jan. 25, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village, 201 Village Blvd., Plainsboro. The Expo is an opportunity for parents and camp directors and counselors to discuss options for summer and winter breaks. For more information, go to www.centraljersey.com/events or call 609-874-2145.