BCA SkillsUSA Leads a Discussion of Nutrition for ComuniLife

On February 2nd, the Bergen County Academies SkillsUSA Chapter led a virtual nutrition seminar with Latina teens in Comunilife’s Life is Precious Program. Comunilife is a non-profit organization in NYC that provides housing and support services for more than 2,600 low-income New Yorkers. Their Life is Precious Program (a Suicide Prevention Program) helps at-risk Latina teens in NYC by offering programs such as counseling, creative arts therapy, academic support, music, nutrition, and family services. Studies have shown that Latina teens have the highest rate of suicide attempt in the entire country and it is now the 2nd leading cause of death for Latina teens in New York. They have locations in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. In the last ten years, more than 300 girls (ages 12-18) have utilized these services offered by Comunilife.

The SkillsUSA officers prepared a nutrition slideshow about healthy and affordable recipes, food safety, and nutrition tips. The slideshow begins with an informational review on all aspects of nutrition such as information on the Nutrition Pyramid and the Healthy Eating Plate. Students provided teens in the Life is Precious Program with healthy recipes for all meals of the day and they also prepared videos on the preparation. Our recipes included various egg recipes, smoothie bowls, Chicken Avocado Wraps, Guacamole, Lentil Soup, and Mexican Rice.

In addition to the slideshow, the SkillsUSA club provided the teens with a recipe booklet containing 20 recipes so that they could refer to it later. Some of our breakfast dishes include Avocado Toast and a Banana and Strawberry Smoothie. All recipes in the booklet contain fresh, nutritious ingredients and can be made quickly and easily. The club included many vegetarian and vegan recipes and offered variations for recipes as well. Our lunch recipes include a 3 Bean Salad, Caprese Sandwich, and much more. There are also a plethora of innovative and delectable snacks such as Crispy Roasted Chickpeas and Chocolate Peanut Butter Coated Bananas. Dinner foods in the booklet include a variety of exotic dishes like Asian Noodles and Mexican Rice. During the presentation, the students in the club used the skills that they learned at BCA to teach teens about food safety, nutrition, and healthy eating habits.

BCA SkillsUSA Chapter