During the recent Disney Social Media Moms conference, participants were invited to a day of events tied to the company’s Magic of Healthy Living initiative. On Saturday morning, Disney Channel actors and 50 essay winners participated in a TRYathlon, a course around World Showplace in Epcot where kids tried “new foods and new moves, new ways to live healthy.” Later in the day, some of the participants answered questions from the bloggers. Here is a sample:
How do you celebrate your birthday while living a healthy life?
Alyson Stoner (Phineas and Ferb, Camp Rock 2): Balance is key. I don’t necessarily neglect something sweet and delicious. Cake is an important part of a healthy diet – in moderate portions. Setting up rules and regulations brings shame and condemnation and guilt, and that’s not what healthy living is. Healthy living is freedom and taking the initiative to make proper choices. That’s what this campaign is all about. It’s inspiring individuals to meet their own individual needs.
High school students say they don’t have time to eat healthy. What recommendations do you have?
Jennifer Stone (Wizards of Waverly Place): I’m always busy. I’m a big fan of cooking all your meals for the week on Sunday and then using good old Tupperware. Stick it in the fridge and take a sack lunch to work. Other than that, you have to make choices with what you have available. You do the best you can.
Daniel Curtis Lee (Zeke and Luther): Fruits and vegetables — since they’re raw — you just pick them up, put them in your face and you’re good.
Does this initiative work with schools, too, to improve the quality of food served in cafeterias?
Chef Gary Jones (Disney dietary specialist): Chefs Move to Schools — The Central Florida area is one of the pioneers in that movement. I partner with Oak Ridge High School. I’m working to try to change some of the food. … It’s a tough market because schools don’t typically have a lot of money these days. What if kids only had one thing to eat at school each day and it was absolutely fantastic? Would we go for that, or do you need the 10 or 15 different choices they have now?
How can we get our kids involved in growing our gardens at home so they don’t see it as a chore but something really fun?
Katie Stagliano (recipient of Friends For Change grant): Once you start gardening, you see how much fun it is. It encourages kids to eat fresh vegetables. Themed gardens, such as pizza gardens or one for cole slaw, are great, too.
How do busy parents tweak recipes to make them healthy, quick and nutritious?
Chef Gary: You can buy fruits and vegetables already cut in the grocery store. You don’t need to buy pounds of it — just what you need — and then it becomes very quick to put recipes together. Spend two hours on the weekend planning and preparing.
Daniel Curtis Lee: When you decide you want to do it, it just becomes easier. I found myself saying it was too hard because there was a blockage in my brain, I didn’t really want to make the move.
Katie: Use what’s growing in your garden to inspire you.
What do you do to stay healthy and fit through your movement?
Barrett Ruud (Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker): That’s kind of my job. For me, even in the off-season, I do have a couple months that I have to be creative. I do yoga. It really does make me feel better. Also, me and my brother play racquetball. I have to be doing something. I’m not very good at running on a treadmill and staring at a TV. I have to be doing something that occupies my mind.
To the essay winners, what was your favorite part of the event today and what was the biggest lesson you’ve taken away from this weekend?
Morgan Brown (from Dallas area): My favorite part was meeting these amazing stars. And I learned that what we ate was actually healthy.
Karisa Brake (from Chicago area): My favorite part was making new friends, meeting new people and learning new ways to be healthy.
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