Fear Factor Food Challenge at Hannalei
September 10th, 2018
Last Wednesday the students at Hannalei Elementary got a lunchtime surprise: a Fear Factor Food Challenge!
The challenge is simple: try five different foods and earn a colorful sticker announcing “I survived the Fear Factor Food Challenge!” For most elementary school students, this reward is motivating. No one wants to be the only one in their class who didn’t “survive” the challenge. And in this case, trying new foods gives young students a safe way to take a risk and be brave.
Superhero outfits inspired new levels of bravery in some Hannalei students.
After eating lunch, each grade approached the Fear Factor table where five different foods were displayed. Some students approached visibly unsure, while others practically ran to try a new food. With a little encouragement from PTA volunteers, and showing them their reward, almost every student tasted new healthy food.
Some students made mini salads to try everything all at once.
At Hannalei, students tried fresh spinach, dried cherries, roasted garbanzo beans, rainbow carrots, and WaveCrest Cafe’s very own black bean and corn salad. All of these items are seasonally available in the salad bar at every elementary school, except for the black bean and corn salad which is available all year round.
These girls LOVED the black bean and corn salad!
It might not be surprising to learn that many students liked the dried cherries best. But a surprising number ranked spinach as their favorite! This shows how good fresh, local food can taste. The rainbow carrots were another popular option, especially since they taste just like regular orange carrots, only with more interesting colors.
Not everyone liked everything – but that’s OK! The challenge was to try new foods.
Click here to see a Facebook photo album from the afternoon.
This fun event marked the kickoff of a fruit, veggie, and fun-filled year. In addition to the Fear Factor Food Challenge, all VUSD elementary schools will experience a farmer’s market over the next two months. Starting next week and going through October, Food 4 Thought will bring seasonal, regional, just-picked fruits and vegetables to schools for kids to pick and choose. Most will go home with a small bag full of California produce to inspire fresh eating for the whole family.
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