Local vegetables are affordable and versatile sources of nutrients, but they’re also underrated, especially among children. For this year’s celebration of International Chef’s Day, Nestlé Philippines and the Le Toque Blanche (LTB) Philippines Chefs Association promoted healthy eating and good food choices with local vegetables as the highlight.
In an event held last October 15, Grade 5 students from C.P. Sta. Teresa Elementary School in Taguig City became “Food Explorers” as they learned about the Pinggang Pinoy and the benefits of eating vegetables through educational games and a hands-on cooking activity.
Chefs from LTB Philippines first explained the nutritional value of the six hero local vegetables, namely pechay, tomato, malunggay, kangkong, eggplant, and ampalaya, and the ways these can be utilized in making tasty and balanced meals at home and for baon. After the walkthrough, Chef Marga Marty demonstrated how to make vegetable okoy (Filipino-style fritters) and sinigang soup using the hero vegetables and Maggi products as ingredients.
“If you look at our hero vegetables, all of them are native to the Philippines. These are affordable and also relatable to Filipino households,” she said. “Today’s recipes are good examples of making vegetables tasty and more appealing to children.”
Assisted by chefs from LTB Philippines and the Philippine Young Chefs Club (PYCC), the students got to try their hand at preparing and cooking the featured dishes, which proved to be an enjoyable learning experience for everyone.
“Today’s program aims to encourage children to discover and appreciate different food groups—including our local hero vegetables—and understand how combining them can create a delicious and nutritious meal. The goal is to make healthy eating both educational and fun through hands-on cooking and tasting activities guided by professional chefs,” said Chef Regina “Ajie” Mendoza, Corporate Chef of Nestlé Professional.
Ms. Rosalyn Monterde, Wellness Coordinator of C.P. Sta. Teresa Elementary School said this International Chef’s Day activity complements the school’s nutrition program by helping promote healthy eating habits and demonstrating practical healthy food preparation. “The students showed genuine interest in learning new cooking techniques, especially because they are guided by professional chefs. While tasting the dishes they prepared, they were surprised by how delicious vegetable-based dishes could be. I believe this hands-on cooking experience made them better appreciate eating vegetables and their benefits to their health.”
Notably, the school’s Gulayan sa Paaralan Program (GPP) is able to sustainably produce vegetables that are used for their feeding program.
This celebration of International Chef’s Day stems from a strong global partnership established in 2014 between Nestlé Professional and the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (Worldchefs). United by a shared commitment, both organizations have worked tirelessly to promote balanced diets and healthy lifestyle habits among children worldwide. Through educational initiatives and community engagement, this collaboration continues to inspire chefs to be ambassadors of nutrition and wellness.
Nestlé Philippines is empowering consumers to choose good, for yourself and the planet, through its programs on nutrition and environmental sustainability. To know more, visit https://www.nestle.com.ph/csv/planet/choose-good.
