Back to School with Fruits and Veggies

Published in our October 2025 newsletter

Welcome back to school! While Eat Right Philly doesn’t officially start nutrition programming until October, we’ve already been out and about in schools all around the city for Back to School Nights. These fun, family-friendly events help connect Eat Right Philly to the school community. Students can say hi to their Nutrition Coordinators and parents can learn about the resources Eat Right Philly offers to help individuals, families, and communities live their healthiest lives.

This year, Eat Right Philly set out to show that the way you prepare food really matters! Programming staff took one simple vegetable—chickpeas—and, using the same ingredients, prepared the legume in different ways. The first was by simply tossing the whole beans with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of garlic and onion powders, smoked paprika, and salt. The second was seasoned with the same ingredients but blended into a smooth bean dip. Participants then got to try samples of both.

Lots of students and families were surprised at how different the two preparation methods were despite having identical ingredients! In addition to the food tasting, there was also a poster board showing different ways of preparing chickpeas (both whole and blended). From hummus to curry to soup to salad, this one simple ingredient is incredibly versatile!

While this activity seems simple, it taught participants an important lesson about food preparation: many characteristics of any given fruit or vegetable can change, sometimes drastically, depending on the preparation method. Freezing, blending, chopping, steaming, sautéing, or roasting all lend different textures to ingredients. Likewise, roasting, sautéing, steaming, seasoning with dry spices or fresh herbs, topping with sauces or dressings, or pairing with other foods can bring out some flavors, make others milder, or change the taste altogether.

After trying the chickpeas, participants could play a game using pictures of different ingredients to “create” their own recipe pairing chickpeas with other ingredients. Vegetables and fruits of all varieties can fit into any meal! Participants also received fun handouts, from recipe printouts and coloring books to nutrition flyers and practical items like salad tongs and jump ropes—all designed to promote more fruits, vegetables, and physical activity.

To learn easy ways to prepare produce of all kinds, check out our Fruit or Vegetable of the Month archive, flip through one of our e-cookbooks, or download the CookWith app. Eating (and enjoying!) more fruits and vegetables can be as simple as trying a new recipe, seasoning, or cooking method!

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