Free Brochure From Oldways Available to Parents and Teachers

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BOSTON, October 25, 2012 – If there’s one food children everywhere adore, it’s pasta. This year, as part of the 17th Annual World Pasta Day on October 25, Oldways and the International Pasta Organisation (IPO) are introducing a free downloadable brochure, Pasta for Children Around the World, a nutrition and cooking curriculum designed to awaken children’s excitement and interest in food, pasta, and cooking pasta dishes from around the world.

“From Belgium to Brazil and from Uruguay to the U.S., pasta traditions are celebrated each night around the global dinner table,” said Sara Baer-Sinnott, President, Oldways, a nonprofit organization with a mission to guide people to good health through heritage.  “Pasta For Children Around the World is a perfect way for teachers and parents to share these diverse food traditions while teaching about simple cooking and healthy eating.”

The program, with easy recipes, is tailored for use with children ages 8 through 14 but can easily be adapted to the interests and skill levels of older students as well as senior citizens, or to any group interested in learning about healthy eating.  The four lessons cover basic information about pasta, geography, history, agriculture, and cultural traditions as well as offer recipes, health information and fun facts about food and pastas, including the meaning of “al dente” and the US president who is credited with bringing pasta to America.

Scientists and food authorities, gathered by Oldways and the IPO, looked at the most recent scientific evidence about the healthfulness of pasta, and experts reinforced, in a scientific consensus statement, that this global favorite is an affordable, healthy carbohydrate food and a delicious way to eat more vegetables, legumes and other healthy foods often under consumed.

To boil it down, here are two things parents should consider when serving a healthy pasta meal:

  1. Bring on the veggies!  Pasta is an ideal partner for healthy foods and ingredients such as vegetables (supporting Oldways and the USDA’s messages to fill half your plate with veggies), beans, and herbs and extra virgin olive oil. Nuts, fish, and small amounts of meat or cheese can also be added for extra flavor and protein. Pasta’s versatility allows for almost endless preparations, a dream for busy parents.
  2. Watch serving size.  It is also important to pay close attention to how much pasta is put on the plate. According to most dietitians, a healthy serving of pasta for an adult is one-half to two-thirds cup of cooked pasta, which is much less than most people are used to seeing on their plates and in restaurants.  Then refer to Tip #1: Fill out the plate with extra vegetables and lean sources of protein such as fish or beans.

Since 1995, World Pasta Day has been an international celebration of pasta — a food consumed all over the world in varying cuisines. In addition to the nutritional merits of the healthy pasta meal, the widespread availability and affordability of pasta earns it an important place at the global dining table. With the growing popularity of whole grain and gluten-free pastas, everyone can enjoy it. 

Oldways offers other resources for consumers planning a celebration on this day or throughout the year including Pasta For All, a guide illustrating why pasta is the perfect food for families (available in multiple languages), as well as pantry/grocery lists and recipes.  Please visit www.oldwayspt.org for more information or to download these free resources.

Please contact Rachel Greenstein (rachel(at)oldwayspt(dot)org or 617-896-4888) for a copy of the Pasta for Children Around the World brochure, Healthy Pasta Meals 2010 Consensus Statement, hi-res graphics or to schedule an interview.

About Oldways

Oldways (www.oldwayspt.org), a nonprofit food and nutrition education organization, with a mission to guide people to good health through heritage, using practical and positive programs grounded in science and tradition. Simply, we advocate for the healthful pleasures of real food. Oldways is the parent organization for The Whole Grains Council and The Mediterranean Foods Alliance, and is well-known for creating the Whole Grain Stamp and the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid.