Boca Raton is a city known for its famous Mizner architecture, beaches and golf courses.
So, the West Boca High School students who call it home were shocked when they learned more than 50 percent of their fellow students lack access to affordable, nutritious food.
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High school junior Sydney Haskin is part of the AP Capstone Seminar Program.
"We live in Boca Raton, Florida. It's a very wealthy area, but then I found out there are families that struggle to even put dinner on the table for their kids, to feed their children fruits and vegetables. It baffled me," said Haskin.
So, they decided to put together a healthy cookbook based on the amount of food stamps a family of four would get for a month. And that’s when Haskin and her classmates got a bigger surprise.
"It's not enough, this money we are giving for food stamps our country. It's not enough to buy kids and buy families healthy, nutritional food," said Haskin.
The cookbook will be shared with videos, showing students and families the simple steps to a healthier diet that doesn’t break the budget and does have a long lasting impact. Lachyn Almadova is another student who worked on the project.
"If you keep eating fast foods, it affects your cognitive development. So, it's better to eat nutritious food which is provided by the cookbook," said Almadova.
It's all a recipe for success from kids who care.
The student shared tips on what they learned to stay on a budget. Buy in bulk and check the price of an item per unit. Also, there are free apps to help with costs such as Shopkick and Honey Smart Shopping.
