The National Youth Parliament Association of Antigua and Barbuda (NYPAAB) aims to promote healthier food choices among school children through its the Smart Snacks Initiative.
Glenroy Alcendor, a representative of the NYPAAB, told Observer media that the objective is to enhance the nutritional value and quality of the program.
“We recognize that we do not wish to rely solely on the government and existing initiatives {like the National School Meals Programme],” he said.
“The vendors outside who sell items such as bakes, chicken, and cupcakes also play a significant role. Even with the [National School Meals Programme] in place, students continue to purchase these items because they are children. If we can involve them in the Smart Snacks initiative, they too can become more aware of the choices they make, as we must be realistic,” he remarked.
According to Alcendor, if the health of our children is neglected during their formative years, they may struggle to regain control of it in the future.
Meanwhile, Andreka Benjamin — another member of the NYPAAB said they are eager to initiate this project and with the school year coming to an end, the first visit will be to the Five Islands Primary School where they will collaborate with students in grades five and six.
“We aim to identify what is effective, what resonates, and we are currently engaged in a trial-and-error approach,” she noted.
In the meantime, the association intends to test the initiative at two summer camps so that parents and children can participate despite time limitations.
“We would like to share and create recipes. I have a friend in Jamaica who is studying sports dietetics, with a focus on children. I plan to collaborate with her to develop these recipes,” Benjamin said.
“She proposed that we focus on easily accessible ingredients and pointed out that we sometimes have bananas available. Instead of buying snacks, a child could enjoy a slice of banana bread upon returning home from school.”
