Am I Ready for Food Rev Day on Friday...?

Food Revolution Day is one day away... Thousands of ambassadors around the world are getting ready for a day of food fun or have been immersed in a week of activities leading up to the big day! To get involved, you can start by signing Jamie Oliver’s petition. We are hopeful that with a massive number of signatures, this will push the governments around the world to adopt food education classes in their school. Countries such as England, Japan, Mexico and Finland have shown that national food plans like this initiative works and they are taking positive steps in the right direction — and the goal is to have more governments follow their lead.There are a myriad of other ways of being part of Food Rev Day: from teaching someone or a group how to cook, to participating in the many events run by the food ambassadors, to simply taking the time to make a homemade meal with your family or friends. Whatever you choose to do, have fun! It's food we're talking about and eating after all! :)

Gearing up with my lovely Food Rev TO apron, stickers and tats!

Getting ready for my three Toronto school events! My youngest son's two Montessori Casa classes will be learning about germination and photosynthesis with a demo by the teachers on growing alfalfa sprouts with sprouting jars donated by A Vogel, and further discussing about real food and where it comes from. I've baked up homemade Susan's Crispy Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Raisin Cookies for all the children to add some delicious fun to their day of food activities, as well as cool Food Rev tattoos for all!

Ms.Tammy from Forest Grove Montessori. My son Matias' awesome teach!

Baking up my yummy Crispy Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Raisin Cookies (same as last year)!

The sprouting jars sponsored by A.Vogel Canada‪ arrived just in the knick of time to start the growing process of alfalfa sprout seeds which will be used in one of my Food Rev Day school events at Henry Kelsey Senior School. With three participating classes, 84 students in groups will grow alfalfa sprouts (takes 3-4 days), then use the sprouts to make Jamie Oliver Food Revolution's champion Squash-It! Sandwich this Friday! As Ming Won, my friend and grade 7 teacher at Kelsey's says, "the sprouting jar is very cool and a science lesson itself with what we've covered so far: mechanical separation, filtering, ecosystem with interactions of abiotic and abiotic factors...and nutrients! And also to discuss growing your own food!" Sprouts tend to be really dirty and can be filled with bacteria... so what better than to easily grow them yourself and enjoy their refreshing crispiness worry-free. I can't wait to see snap shots of the growing sprouts and them mixed with veggies wedged into the students' sandwiches to eat! They get to experience the life cycle of growing food and eating it! Super cool!

A Vogel Sprouting Jars

Champion Squash-It Sandwich

And last but not in the very least, I will be holding a large-scale hands-on cooking session at Northview Heights High School with a majority of the 1500 student body participating in the hands-on session making the champion sandwich. Also, 200 grade 8 students will be visiting the school in the morning and will be served Jamie Oliver's oatmeal cookies made into their best-selling breakfast bars. And 30 grade 3s and 4s are invited to participate in the session. Members of the school board have been invited to come take part in the cooking as well. Between Northview teachers and their classes being invited to watch Jamie's video, signing the petition, eating the squash-it sandwich offered in their cafeteria, everyone will be partaking in some form of FRD activity at the school. The cherry on top is that Jamie will connect with us live via videoconferencing on his FoodTube Channel @11:13 EST! My event is on Sobeys' Press Release.

My inspiring friend and fellow Super ambassador Prachi Grover in Dubai organized a pre-Food Rev event with 150 mini chefs. In our Food Revolution Community they were touted as "Dubai is kicking off ‪#‎FoodRevolutionDay‬ early by making Jamie Oliver's Squash it Sandwich!" If this is a small glimpse of what my morning will be like on Friday at Northview- GAHHHH.... bring it on!! 

Photo Credits of the Coverage: Prachi Grover

Just incredible snap shots!

I love Prachi's pledge with the students to wrap up their Dubai Food Rev event! I may just adopt it in one of my next food activities! We were written up on a recent Canadian Living Magazine blog post, and my team mate Mardi Michels sums it up perfectly. A school teacher, Toronto Food Revolution Ambassador since 2012 she has been running an after-school cooking program for her students. Here is what the day means to her: “My one takeaway is that it doesn’t matter how big or small your involvement is – the point is to get people thinking and talking about food, cooking together and encouraging people to cook and eat real food. Food is community so whether there are 5 of you cooking or 5000, it’s still meaningful. Small changes, often, as opposed to one big change once a year is what I encourage people to undertake”. I agree whole-heartedly, the essense of Food Rev day should be engrained in everyday life!

Photo Credit: Prachi Grover

Come back on Friday to read and see the entire coverage from Northview!! Wish me luck! WHAAA!!