Smoothie Pops and Spinach: Nutrition on Wheels Inspires Young Eaters at Summer Camp

Much to the delight of children attending summer camp at the Salvation Army’s Ken Carlson Boys and Girls Club, Second Harvest Food Bank’s colorful Mobile Nutrition Services food truck pulled up and parked outside in early August.

“They’ve been looking forward to this all week,” said Yvonne Floyd, Program Coordinator for the Boys and Girls Club.

Nutrition educators with Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC led the children in three hands-on, healthy activities:

• In a Wheel of Fortune-like activity, children took turns spinning an activity wheel, and they eagerly participated when the wheel stopped on “dance party” or “sing the alphabet while doing jumping jacks.”

• “Rethink Your Drink” taught children the importance of drinking water instead of sugary soda.

• A Food Bank Nutrition Educator demonstrated how to make a tasty smoothie with fruits and vegetables.

At the end of the 3-station rotation, each child received a frozen smoothie pop and a reusable grocery bag with fresh produce and a popsicle mold to make a smoothie at home, as well as other nutrition information to share with their families.

Youngsters enjoyed the frozen smoothie pops, made with strawberries, bananas, spinach and almond milk, on the hot Friday afternoon.

“I liked when we made a smoothie and when we did dance party and when we learned about our teeth and what’s healthy,” one camper said.

“I learned that it’s important not to eat too much sugar and that I should even eat more vegetables,” another camper chimed in.  “I eat a lot of vegetables. My favorite vegetable is broccoli, and fruit is great.”

Floyd said the Boys and Girls Club’s curriculum ensures children are taught healthy habits. She is always looking for creative ways to teach lessons about good nutrition, and she especially likes to introduce hands-on activities. This summer, more than 160 children are registered for camp at the Boys and Girls Club, and an average of 90 to 100 children attend each day.

“I’ve got to think outside the box to gain their interest,” Floyd said. “Second Harvest Food Bank has done a phenomenal job partnering with us.” The Food Bank provides after-school “snack” during the school year,” which she said includes meals such meat loaf and mashed potatoes (Floyd’s favorite) and always include something new, like squash, sweet potatoes, or lima beans.

“I want them to see me try it,” when it comes to a new vegetable or even a new way of eating a typical food, Floyd said, adding with a smile, “some of them actually like it.”

“Our kids love anything about food,” she said, noting that children from kindergarten to 12^th grade always enjoy the lesson taught by Food Bank Nutrition Educators. In fact, Floyd had asked if the Food Bank could do the cooking class during summer camp, and that’s when the Nutrition Services team suggested a visit from the Mobile Nutrition Services unit.

Healthy living lessons continue at the Boys and Girls Club throughout the year, and Floyd hopes the Nutrition Services Mobile unit will be back during the school year.

“Children need to understand that fruits and vegetables can be healthy and tasty as well,” she said. “It’s all about how you prepare it.”

The Boys and Girls Club also has a community garden, where the children in the Garden Club raise and harvest fresh vegetables and herbs.

“Learning about where the food comes from is a plus,” Floyd said.

Second Harvest takes the refrigerated Mobile Nutrition Services unit and healthy educational practices across the region. The Boys and Girls Club event was the first stop in Forsyth County, and the Mobile Nutrition Services truck was headed to Crossnore Communities for Children in Winston-Salem later that afternoon.

With every stop it makes, Second Harvest’s Mobile Nutrition Services unit brings more than just fresh ingredients and fun activities—it brings a message that healthy food can be joyful, accessible, and empowering. Whether through a garden bed, a blender, or a simple dance party, kids are discovering that wellness starts with curiosity, choice, and community. And thanks to strong partnerships like the one with the Salvation Army’s Ken Carlson Boys and Girls Club, that message is taking root—one smoothie pop at a time.