For many years Potatoes New Zealand have supported hundreds of vulnerable kiwi children via their partnership with NZ Health Camps. The Te Puna Whaiora Children’s Health Camps have recently launched their new name “Stand Children’s Services, Tu Maia Whanau.” 

The camps are held throughout New Zealand from Whangarei to Roxburgh. As part of their stay the children have a “Spudtacular Experience” where they learn how to ‘Bake a Potato and Make a Meal’.

Potatoes New Zealand also send each child home with a Spudtacular Back-Sack complete with a bag of potatoes and three cans of baked beans (c/o Heinz Watties NZ). This allows the children to put their skills into practice and cook a meal for their family at home.

In line with our goal to inspire kiwi kids to get cooking in the kitchen. Being affordable, tasty and the children’s favourite vegetables – Potatoes are a great place to start! To find out more about the wonderful work the Stand Children’s Services are doing check out their website here.

Here are a few images of the happy children and with their potato-filled back-sacks.

The ‘Bosch It’s My Turn To Cook Tonight School Holiday Program’ is on again these April School Holidays – 22nd, 23rd & 24th.

Just by entering you can WIN a brand new Bosch Dishwasher.

Our Potato Ambassador Claire Gourley will be teaching children how to cook a range of simple and delicious meals.

There are loads of POTATO RECIPES including:

• Fish Cakes
• Pumpkin Soup
• Tomato Soup
• Baked Stuffed Potatoes
• The Potato “Snack”
• Chilli Chicken w/ Criss-cross Potatoes

This program FREE and just by signing up you go into the draw to win a flash new Bosch Dishwasher.

Keep your kids busy while you get ready for Xmas the It’s My Turn to Cook Tonight Bosch School Holiday Program is on this week. Download the e-book HERE.  Full of lots of potato recipes co-sponsored by Potatoes New Zealand, will run live online on Thursday 20th December @ 10am!

The interactive show is the brainchild of food and nutrition educator Glenda Gourley, and her 18 year-old daughter Claire. Already it’s been hailed by celebrity chef and healthy food promoter, Jamie Oliver in his blog.

By encouraging children all over New Zealand to learn to cook their family dinner and eat together, the program also supports the Ministry of Health Food & Nutrition Guidelines for children and young people aged 2-18.

“We want to help children get savvy and confident with food in a way that’s fun, but also delivers results,” says Glenda.  “It’s simple – kids who have food skills make better food choices.”

“The online program is a win-win. Parents can sit back and have their dinner cooked while their children learn healthy food skills, and enjoy hanging out with other kids learning to cook online,” she says.

“We encourage kids to start with simple and healthy dishes like mashed potatoes with spices or herbs, we’ll have them whipping up a scrummy potato salad, show them how to make healthy hash browns on the barbecue, or oven baked potato wedges with salsas and salad.” says Glenda.

The cooking session is highly interactive with the mother-daughter team giving step-by-step instructions direct to children. A range of activities encourage sharing and creativity through live-chats and fun games such as origami puzzles, Christmas gift ideas, and tips and tricks to make the food festive.

The class also recognises other aspects of food health and safety.  “We include lots of other foodie things like how to make food choices, kitchen safety and helping children gain confidence both in the kitchen and on the computer,” says Claire.

Originally trialed as a pilot in April 2012, the response from participants was overwhelmingly positive. The program is supported by 5+ A Day.

For more information and to register online go to www.foodsavvykids.com

For more information contact:

 Glenda Gourley, Potatoes NZ, 027 428 1646

Fiona Morris, Ideas Shop, 027 224 2542

New potato buyers are being encouraged to carry out a simple test to ensure they are indeed buying the delicate new season varieties now hitting the shelves.

The ‘Flick Test’ has been devised by Potatoes New Zealand to help shoppers identify sumptuous new season varieties such as Ilam Hardy and Jersey Benne that are available throughout New Zealand from early October, fresh from New Zealand growers.

“New season potatoes are a Kiwi favourite and with only a very short season, this test is an easy way to identify new potatoes from other tasty but not ‘new season’ potatoes,” says Todd Hughes, a board member for Potatoes New Zealand.

The flick test is based on the Potatoes New Zealand definition of a new potato as a young potato characterised by soft skin – so delicate that it can be easily flicked off by a finger.

“Considering growers work hard to deliver this delicate product in its finest form, shoppers should make sure they’re selecting the best!”

“Look for new potatoes that have smooth, undamaged and unblemished skins. They should be dry and feel firm to touch. If you can flick off the skin easily, then you have a new potato,” says Mr Hughes.

Because the skin of a new potato is so delicate, they’re rarely if ever peeled before cooking. And being young, they retain their shape and texture, and can be seasoned to match the meal.

“With their sweet taste, new potatoes are ideal for potato salads or simply boiled with a knob of butter and a few chopped herbs. Or you could combine them with Kiwis’ two other favourite vegetables, mushrooms and tomatoes, to make a tasty ‘super star’ vegetable combination,” says Mr Hughes. “It’s a short but abundant season, so make the most of it!”

For more cooking tips and tasty potato recipes check out the recipe section on our website here and get cooking!

Media release

Potatoes NZ 2012

For more information contact:

Glenda Gourley, Potatoes NZ, 027 428 1646

Amanda Woodbridge, Ideas Shop, 021 715 499

Potatoes New Zealand are taking a pro-active approach to the current Obesity epidemic. Our focus is to establish and encourage good eating habits with kiwi children.

The facts are simple:

• The most reliable predictor of adult obesity is childhood obesity.
• NZ kids don’t eat enough vegetables.
• Potatoes are kiwi kids favourite vegetable.
• Children with food skills/knowledge are likely to make better food choices.
• Parents are important role models, whose food habits influence childrens food choices.
• PNZ support NZ Nutritional Guidelines for Children and Young People and are committed to sharing their intent with consumers.

We are extremely supportive of the child cooking strategy It’s My Turn To Cook Tonight which focuses on getting kiwi kids gaining skills and confidence in the kitchen as well as the parenting strategy Food Savvy Kids which offers tips and advice about how to prepare your child for a healthy future.

As an industry we accept a corporate responsibility to help New Zealand children establish good eating habits, and we are confident that POTATOES play a crucial role in making it happen.

We were able to share this approach at the 2012 Australia and New Zealand Obesity Society Conference (ANZOS) held last week in Auckland. Our Marketing and Education Consultant Glenda Gourley shared her success with the Bosch It’s My Turn To Cook Tonight Online School Holiday Program and inspired the audience to be innovative and pro-active on what we can do to improve the health of our children and our childrens’ children. For more info on the program check out her website here.

A Kiwi mother and daughter team launch a live online children’s cooking program these holidays offering children all over New Zealand a fun way to learn to cook their family dinner – at home.

Co-sponsored by  Potatoes New Zealand,  It’s My Turn to Cook Tonight Bosch School Holiday Program, running 2-4 October, is the brainchild of food and nutrition educator Glenda Gourley and her 18 year-old daughter Claire.

“We want to help children get savvy and confident with food in a way that’s fun, they can relate to,” says Claire, who has her own children’s cooking website  www.itsmyturntocooktonight.com  and has published cookbooks.

The programme helps parents achieve the Ministry of Health Food & Nutrition Guidelines for children and young people (age 2-18), which encourage kids to cook and families to eat together.

“But many parents are at a loss to know what to do next,” says Glenda, who is also food education consultant for Potatoes NZ, “so this programme is a win-win. Parents can sit back and have their dinner cooked while their children learn healthy food skills and children get to have great fun learning how to cook while hanging out with other kids online.”

“For many of us, food is at the centre of our childhood memories, but in today’s modern world we don’t have time to teach our children how to cook and then to enjoy the results as a family around the table. The programme is a chance for parents and grandparents to address that by passing on the ‘potato cooking legacy’.

“Potatoes are consistently voted as kids’ favourite vegetable, so if your kids participate, start with the known favourite, and over time introduce other vegetables,” recommends Glenda.

“We encourage kids to start with simple and healthy dishes. Mashed potatoes with spices or herbs, baked potatoes with corn and onion or oven baked potato wedges with salsas and salad are all good examples.”

The live online sessions are highly interactive with the mother-daughter team giving step-by-step instructions direct to children. A range of activities encourage sharing and creativity through live-chats and competitions such as movie-making and “over-the-top” table setting.

“It’s not just about cooking,” says Claire, “we include lots of other foodie things like how to make food choices, read labels, kitchen safety and helping children gain confidence both in the kitchen and on the computer.”

Originally trialed as a pilot in April 2012, the response was overwhelming with children having fun while learning about teamwork and technology and their parents thrilled with the skills their children gained.

The program is supported by 5+ A Day and has even been hailed by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver who has blogged about it.

Running 2-4 October, parents and caregivers can find more information and register online at  www.foodsavvykids.com

Media release

Potatoes NZ

Monday 10 September 2012

For more information contact:

Glenda Gourley, Potatoes NZ, 027 428 1646

Amanda Woodbridge, Ideas Shop, 021 715 499

It’s official, the best nutrition and education brains in the country have made a recommendation*, parents are advised to involve their kids in food shopping and cooking family meals. (Especially those involving POTATOES!)

This is a trump card for any parent. It is not just you nagging to get your kids to help – evidence from the experts actually backs you up!  Your kids are likely to be healthier if they help with dinner because study after study shows that a child who has practical food skills makes better food choices.

The challenge, as always, remains to convert guidelines into action. Juggling the demands of work, school and family mean many parents struggle with the practical reality of making it happen.  For example, most of us know our kids should eat more fruit and vegetables but get stuck on the ‘how-to’. An innovative online cooking program, supported by 5+ A Day, addressing this may be what you are looking for.

Utilizing the inspirational skills of food educator Glenda Gourley and her teen daughter Claire, the mother-daughter team created It’s My Turn to Cook Tonight Bosch School Holiday Program. It harnesses the power of role models by using a teen to inspire children. Running 2-4 October this program gets your children cooking your dinner, in your home, using your food.

Originally trialed as a pilot in April this year, the response by participating parents and kids was overwhelmingly positive**. The program is also gaining international attention, the Jamie Oliver Foundation recognized, praised and blogged about it on their website. Closer to home, the positive impact of Claire’s cooking strategy was the major question in NCEA Home Economics level 1 final exam last year.

The children learn to cook while they hang out with other kids online. It’s not just cooking, they slip in all sorts of other foodie things – like making food choices, reading labels, kitchen safety, plus they gain confidence both in the kitchen and on the computer. Activities and competitions encourage the children to share, contribute, be creative, create an occasion to eat together and do something nice for other people.

So here is a clear action plan to implement the new guidelines. Enroll your kids in the It’s My Turn to Cook Tonight Bosch School Holiday Program at www.foodsavvykids.com and sit back while your kids have fun, learn food skills and cook your dinner. The ultimate win;win, for parents. No, you are not being lazy insisting your children cook you dinner – you are encouraging your kids to get food skills that will last a lifetime.  The school holidays could well be a holiday for you too!

*The Ministry of Health released Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Children and Young People (aged 2-18 years) were released on August 6th. Full details may be found on www.healthed.govt.nz There are a range of recommendations including eating together as a family, eating from the four food groups daily, drinks, ensuring food safety and physical activity.

** Feedback from parents and children who particiapted in the April cooking program may be viewed under ‘rave reviews’ http://cookingprogram.itsmyturntocooktonight.com/rave-reviews

 ENDS

For more information:

Glenda Gourley

Mob 0274 281646

glenda@foodsavvykids.com

skype; glendagourley

Te Puna Whaiora Children’s Health Camps have been working closely with Potatoes New Zealand to help make a difference in the lives of many kiwi children. With camps scattered throughout NZ, over a 4-week period children are provided with accommodation, food, attend school and learn key life skills such as baking a potato.

Potatoes NZ has a vision for every kiwi kid to have the know-how and show-how to bake a potato.  This simple skill ensures that if children can bake a potato, they can make a meal! We based this concept on the well-known philosophy that ‘if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.’

Te Puna Whaiora Health Camps provide children with a ‘journey of transformation’. All 1500 children who attend each year are given a Spudtacular backpack sponsored by Potatoes New Zealand. The bag is filled with fresh potatoes and a few cans of creamed corn or baked beans courtesy of Heinz Watties. Allowing them to use their new skills and make the meal at home.

This is an amazing program that can make a huge difference in the lives of these children and Potatoes NZ are thrilled to be a part of it. For more information about Te Puna Whaiora Health Camps go on their website here.

Could your kids cook and prepare a healthy and nutritious meal for your family? If your response here is ‘No’, then we have just the answer!

Potatoes NZ are proud to introduce the It’s My Turn To Cook Tonight Bosch School Holiday Program… It’s an online-based cooking program that helps teach your kids how to cook and prepare a meal for your family’s dinner! Created by Mother-Daughter duo of Glenda and Claire Gourley they are on a mission to help get children having fun in the kitchen and learning to cook!

The aim is to give children the tools and knowledge to make healthy choices and the skills and ability to prepare a healthy meal.

“In a nutshell, ‘It’s My Turn To Cook Tonight Bosch School Holiday Programme’ teaches big kids or parents to teach younger kids to cook,” says Glenda. “The outcomes are awesome…”

Basically everyone involved benefits. The student tutors who are chosen by the parents, learn new skills and gain valuable work experience. The children have fun hanging out with the older kids and learning to cook. While the parents get treated to a meal on the table and a clean kitchen when they return home from a hard day’s work!

The first five-day ‘It’s My Turn To Cook Tonight Bosch School Holiday Programme’ will run from 16-20 April 2012. Registrations open on the 5th March 2012

For more information and to register go to www.itsmyturntocooktonight.com

Potatoes New Zealand are proud to sponsor this exciting new program – with loads of the recipes set to include the humble potato!

Here’s a message to remember from Spuddy the Potato…

Alarming statistics show that two thirds of New Zealand children are not receiving enough vegetables in their diets.* This is a serious problem because the habits that young people develop have a significant impact on diets in later life. This will consequently have an impact on health issues such as obesity and heart disease. The best way to avoid these lifestyle diseases is preventative action. The potato industry is committed to this preventative action by encouraging children to develop healthy eating habits from the onset. (more…)