Today’s podcast guest, Mark Heard, with the assistance of a team of school parents, has been instrumental in transforming a school canteen (tuck shop) into a haven of healthy offerings. You will not find any white bread or confectionary items there. Instead, students and staff select from nutritious, seasonal meals made from locally sourced produce. Daily specials are offered and any cakes, muffins or biscuits are baked on site from real food ingredients. Mark and I discuss how he and the team were able to implement this transformation, the amazing positive impact it has had on the students and the wonderful community it has created.
We also discuss Mark’s passion for organic and bio-dynamic food and how it is more than just food but a lifestyle. Mark is a community minded person who participates in many local groups like the bio-dynamic farmer’s association, where information is exchanged and shared.
It was a genuine pleasure to sit down with Mark; his story shows how passion for a healthy life, with a solid dose of commitment, can effect positive change in a community.
P.S. If you’re interested, here is the reference for the study I refer to in the podcast: Florence MD, Asbridge M, Veugelers PD, Diet Quality and Academic Performance, Journal of School Health (2008), Vol 78(4), pp. 209-215.