Veggiecation — Take a Break from Junk

In recent years, many locals have enjoyed the 's annual Healthy Kids Day, which just so happens to be taking place this Saturday, April 30, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

But the Y is not an organization to rest or its laurels — or on any other leafy greens.

To help families learn healthy food habits, South Mountain Y is bringing in the Veggiecation Program for this Healthy Kids Day. Healthy Kids Day is the national Y’s initiative to improve the health and well-being of families, by encouraging parents to make daily play dates with their kids as a simple way to become a more healthy, active family.

During Healthy Kids Day at South Mountain YMCA, Lisa Suriano, owner and founder of Veggiecation, will introduce kids to the "delicious world" of vegetables and get the children involved in creating a recipe.

Kids will be invited to help prepare Teriyaki Snap Peas and Carrots by peeling carrots, cleaning snap peas, sampling the final dish, experiencing snap peas in their raw form and casting a vote on how they liked the recipe in the Veggiecation Ballot Boxes. Kids will take home complimentary Veggiecation character coloring pages, word games, mazes and stickers. Parents will receive a copy of the recipe.

According to Suriano, Veggiecation is a curriculum-based nutrition education program "whose success lies in engaging activities that empower children with their food choices while demonstrating that eating vegetables is fun and delicious."

Okay then!

Health Kids Day and Veggiecation are open to the public. Healthy Kids Day is free and will feature an afternoon full of kid-friendly activities, including Spider-Man show, bounce house, obstacle course, teddy bear clinic and, as described, cooking demonstrations by Suriano.

The South Mountain YMCA is located at 13 Jefferson Avenue in Maplewood, NJ.