SANTA MARIA, Calif. – At the end of June, Gold Coast Packing, a leading grower, shipper and processor of fresh produce, joined forces with the local Santa Maria Valley YMCA to promote the importance of eating fresh produce with children by teaching them how to grow, prepare and cook recipes where vegetables are at the center of the plate.
“Gold Coast values community involvement and ensuring children everywhere have access to fresh vegetables. When the opportunity presented itself to sponsor the Health Cooking Camp at our local YMCA it made perfect sense,” said Crystal Chavez, marketing coordinator at Gold Coast Packing. “Working with these kids each day was a complete joy. We learned many had never eaten cauliflower or spinach before, but loved how we prepared it and quickly became new veggie lovers.”
During the week of June 24, camp attendees aged 9 to 11 learned a new recipe, vegetables trivia, food safety tips and table etiquette. Healthy Cooking Camp also featured recipes including Cauliflower Ceviche, Broccoli & Cauliflower Stir-fry, and Spinach Salad
“Healthy living and youth development are two core areas of focus at the YMCA, and we put great importance on educating children early about healthy eating,” said Kelsey Ferguson, childcare director at Santa Maria Valley YMCA. “We are grateful to Gold Coast Packing for the generous supply and variety of new veggies to introduce to our campers and inspirational recipes to take home and share with their families. Some of their favorite items were the watermelon radish tacos with cilantro aioli and cauliflower rice ceviche. Our campers and staff are already looking forward to another partnership with Gold Coast Packing!”
Gold Coast provided all of the fresh produce used in each of the healthy meals during camp and gave campers an insight into its farming practices and innovation. The company also encouraged campers to draw on their own experiences and incorporate unique twists into each recipe.
For more information on Gold Coast Packing, visit www.goldcoastpak.com.
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Gold Coast Packing
Gold Coast Packing, Inc., is a grower, shipper and processor, located in the ideal growing region of Santa Maria, Calif. The company’s mission is to produce fresh, safe, nutritious, and innovative value-added products while promoting growth and prosperity for its customers, employees, and company. Gold Coast Packing has dedicated itself to ensuring that its customers receive the freshest and highest quality products for nearly 40 years.
