East Brainerd’s Earth Fare hosts Family Dinner Nights every Thursday from 4-8 p.m. With the purchase of one $5 adult meal, up to six children can eat free. Children choose their own meals at the Itty Bitty Bites Kid’s Kiosk.
Many children dining there recently tried a grilled cheese sandwich, fruit snacks, raisins and yogurt.
The Ellis siblings, of Ooltewah, dine at Earth Fare on Gunbarrel Road for Thursday night free kids’ meals. Clockwise from left are Norah, 2, Baylee, 8, Jacob, 4, and Ryan, 6. The children eat grilled cheese sandwiches and peanut butter and jelly roll-up sandwiches, yogurt, fruit snacks, carrot sticks and raisins.“It’s really important to start healthy eating habits at a young age because those habits stick with you throughout a lifetime,” said Earth Fare Community Relations Coordinator/Group Marketing Manager Abby Shipley, of Ooltewah. “We try to encourage families to eat together instead of on the go, because a lot of on-the-go options are not healthy.”
She said children learn through trying Earth Fare meals that eating healthy can taste good. Children can pick a main dish, a fresh side, a snack and a drink from several options.
Shipley also takes that message to children in local schools, where she talks to them about healthy food options. She discusses allergies with teachers ahead of time and provides the healthy snack examples for all to try free of charge.