Humboldt County, California — Getting kids to eat fruits and vegetables can be difficult, but that’s not the case for Beth Bailey, a kitchen supervisor at the Humboldt County Juvenile Detention Center who has worked for the county for more than a decade.
Bailey said the kitchen is where her heart is.
“All I do is eat healthy and smile. That’s what I love about my job,” Bailey said.
Last year, Bailey applied for 13 months. Chef Anne Foundation Healthy School Food Pathway Fellowship Introducing healthier food options for young people.
“This program is a capstone project, so you’re given a $5,000 grant to do something to promote scratch cooking anywhere,” Bailey said.
As part of the project, Bailey continues to create healthier meals. With the help of the garden, some of her and Hall’s children are growing up.
“So we have bok choy, mustard greens, and some flowers that we put in for color and variety,” Bailey said.
Bailey said she loves cooking and is proud of this program. She wants her children to enjoy their meals.
“School lunches have a bad reputation, especially in prisons and schools. It’s like what you see in cartoons. They’re all parodies of school lunch ladies and failed school lunches, but eating delicious, healthy food has a lot of dignity. “I think that’s the case,” Bailey said.
