So - we have been eating well @ 96th St. the past few weeks. Working with Ebeth Johnson and Ludie Minaya of Green Gourmet, we have made some amazing food and attracted many kids who don't always participate in library programs.

Here at the 96th Street Branch, teens come in almost every day to do homework and to pass the afternoon before their folks get home from work. Now, I know this is probably the case in a lot of libraries. The thing is that some of these kids are really studious, often spending the whole 3 or so hours they are at the library doing their homework. The great thing about this program; Get Food Smart! With Green Gourmet! is that it appeals to those who are not only interested in learning about nutrition, healthy eating, and cooking skills but also those who are just plain HUNGRY.

Ebeth and Ludie are hilarious. They do an introduction to knife skills that left me howling with laughter.. Yet they are also very informative about finding easy ways to incorporate healthy eating into a young person's life. They are accessible to YAs, and happy to share their philosophy involving the joys of preparing a meal, sitting down together to eat, and to try new things. I mean they got a bunch of 13 and 14 year olds to eat lentils! And they are pretty famous too.. they were contestants on Cash Cab!

Just look at these happy teens!