We Love Our Veggies is a must-read interactive activity book created by Courtney Underwood, Vittoria Pasca, Ropate Kama and Clarence Dass.
Imagine opening a book and finding colouring pages that include bele, soursop or dalo to name a few as well as other activities on our local produce.
As you turn the pages you embark on a journey filled with crisp veggies, vibrant fruits, and loads of garden-to-table adventures in the teitei and in the kitchen.
Get your shovels and aprons ready because this book will probably make you hungry or quickly get you interested in planting your own garden or cooking something with mum and dad!
This book will have you digging up the teitei, munching, and cooking your way to a greener, healthier world.
Most importantly it is designed to help you get to know the amazing local vegetables and fruits around us.
We Love Our Veggies is a garden-to-table odyssey that the team hopes will turn young readers into a veggie superheroes who will easily be able to recognise the vegetables growing around us.
What’s in the book?
Filled with interactive fun, this book includes colouring pages, puzzles, recipes and gardening tips.
“The activities share fascinating facts about your favorite local veggies and fruit. It’s like a treasure hunt for knowledge in a fun way that makes learning about nutrition feel like a tasty game”, says Ms Courtney Underwood as she shared about the book with the Kaila! team.
“There is even an activity that teaches you how to start your very own backyard garden using vegetable scraps.
“You’ll learn how to nurture tiny seeds into thriving plants while enjoying the outdoors and doing something great for your family.”
The book also includes mouthwatering recipes that you and your family can create together. From fruity smoothies to rourou balls, you’ll master the art of delicious, healthy cooking.
With over a decade of experience as a preschool teacher, Ms Underwood’s passion for children and education shines through on every page.
Vittoria Pasca, their nutritionist extraordinaire, shares her expertise and knowledge as well has healthy eating tips in a fun way.
Ropate Kama is the artist behind the beautiful drawings that are filled with creative imagination, and Clarence Dass illustrated and created the final layout of the book.
Together, they’ve created a book not just about eating well, it is a book that celebrates the magic of nature and the joy of growing, cooking, and eating from your own garden of treasures.
While We Love Our Veggies was designed for five to twelve year olds, this book is for everyone.
Where can I buy my own copy of this book?
It is available for sale at the Fiji Museum and the USP book shop as well as other places, but you can certainly find more information on their official social media pages such as Healthy Eating Fiji on Instagram.
Until then choose a healthy plate whenever you can.
