Let's Think About What We Eat!

In preparation for March’s Culinary Month here at St. Louis Public Library, we thought it would be a good idea to take a moment to look at what we eat. While we have all kinds of fun events planned, focusing on everything from candy sushi to beer to cupcakes, we’ve also got several programs coming up that are devoted to nutrition. For a full schedule of nutritious events, check out our Upcoming Events page.

On Saturday, March 29, Operation Food Search Nutrition Outreach and Cooking Matters Coordinator Mariella Funk will present a seminar on nutritional cooking. The seminar will focus on healthy eating on a budget, and will feature a cooking demonstration and recipe tasting. All attendees will go home with recipe cards and informational handouts. The seminar takes place at 4 p.m. March 29 at the Julia Davis Branch.

Also on March 29, Local Harvest co-owner Maddie Earnest will present a program about the benefits of eating locally grown food, which is generally more nutritious than food that’s been shipped across the country before it reaches the grocery store. “Local Harvest and Eating with the Seasons” will focus on harvesting local produce and the path it takes from farm to market. The event takes place at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 29 in the Central Library’s Carnegie Room.

There are also lots of opportunities for kids to learn about proper nutrition. On Saturdays in March, several branches will offer “Kids in the Library,” in which dietetic interns from St. Louis University will explain the importance of nutrition and exercise. Each child who participates will plant vegetable seeds in an egg carton to take home (and don’t worry, the plantings will come with instructions for grownups!). The program is aimed at elementary school-aged children and families. Click here for a list of times, dates, and locations.

And if you don’t have time to attend a program, next time you come by the Central Library for storytime, check out "You Are What You Eat," a month-long display in the children’s area. Using kids’ meals purchased from fast-food restaurants, as well as some more nutritious alternatives, this exhibit illustrates the nutritional value (or lack thereof) in these meals, as well as how many preservatives and additives are in them.

If all this talk of nutrition has you curious for more information, swing by any of the branches for books on healthy cooking. Look in the non-fiction section under the Dewey Decimal number 641.563 or search “healthy cooking” in our online catalog. You can also check out ChooseMyPlate.gov, Nutrition.gov, and, for teens, BAM! Body and Mind’s nutrition section for more information. Happy eating!