For Students It’s All About Healthy Eating During Thai Union Nutrition Workshops
Caption: A student from Wat Srisudtharam School enjoys a sandwich she made during a recent nutrition workshop organized by Thai Union. Photo credit: Wichaw Apiluxpoovadol/Thai Union
2 AUGUST 2018, SAMUT SAKHON, THAILAND - Everybody loves food that tastes good. But when you’re a kid, it can be difficult to know which food is also good for you. Now, however, students in Samut Sakhon are better equipped to make healthy dietary decisions after attending one of Thai Union Group PCL.’s recent nutritional workshops held at Wat Srisudtharam School.
A pair of three-hour nutrition workshops held over two days provided approximately 350 area students with information about the importance of eating nutritionally rich food to help stimulate mental health, build muscles and strengthen bones, as well as stress the need to limit their intake of unhealthy food.
“The idea behind this workshop was to provide the right health and nutritional knowledge to educate students in the communities where we operate, while making it an enjoyable experience with fun activities,” said Dr. Darian McBain, Thai Union’s global director for sustainable development. “As a seafood producer, Thai Union recognizes the importance of nutrition to a healthy lifestyle.”
Professional dietician Phasit Kanasirichainon instructed the students on the health benefits of including the five major food groups in their daily diet, and the ideal serving size for each of those food groups, educating them about what food children should eat regularly for a healthy lifestyle.
Caption: A group of students match pictures of menus with the five major food groups during a Thai Union nutritional workshop held at Wat Srisudtharam School in Samut Sakhon. Photo credit: Wichaw Apiluxpoovadol/Thai Union
The workshop also outlined what the children should look for when buying food from the supermarket, and how to read the nutritional facts on food labels to understand how much energy, calories, sodium, fat, carbohydrates, sugar and protein are contained in foods by serving size.
The students also received jigsaw puzzles featuring information about the nutritional benefits of fish and included an easy-to-prepare menu for the children to share with their parents.
Caption: A student reading the nutrition label on a can of SEALECT tuna during a Thai Union nutritional workshop conducted at Wat Srisudtharam School in Samut Sakhon. Photo credit: Wichaw Apiluxpoovadol/Thai Union
“The activity was so much fun, and I learned a lot about nutrition, such as how the body is affected when eating too much salt, fat and sugar,” said Zu Zu, a fourth grader from Wat Srisudtharam School, who is originally from Myanmar. “Also, I made a sandwich and barbecue by myself.”
Thai Union plans to hold two additional nutritional workshops in Samut Sakhon, one in August at Wat YaiChomprasat School and another in September at Luangphetkosolupatham School, the latter of which will also include students from Wat Sirimongkul School and Wat Koh School. Thai Union anticipates the final two workshops will attract an additional 350 students.
Thai Union sponsors the education of children of migrant and local workers at four schools in Samut Sakhon to help those students prepare to enter Thailand’s formal education system and progress to primary school. The classes also ensure children have a safe place to learn during the day, providing working parents with peace of mind.
This work is undertaken in line with Thai Union’s sustainability strategy, SeaChange®. To learn more, visit: http://seachangesustainability.org/.
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ABOUT THAI UNION GROUP
Thai Union Group PCL is the world’s seafood leader bringing high quality, healthy, tasty and innovative seafood products to customers across the world for more than 40 years.
Today, Thai Union is regarded as the world’s largest producer of shelf-stable tuna products with annual sales exceeding THB 135 billion (US$ 4.03 billion) and a global workforce of over 49,000 people who are dedicated to pioneering sustainable, innovative seafood products.
The company’s global brand portfolio includes market-leading international brands such as Chicken of the Sea, John West, Petit Navire, Parmentier, Mareblu, King Oscar, and Rügen Fisch and Thai-leading brands SEALECT, Fisho, Qfresh, Monori, Bellotta and Marvo.
As a company committed to innovation and globally responsible behavior, Thai Union is proud to be a member of the United Nations Global Compact, and a founding member of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF). In 2015, Thai Union introduced its SeaChange® sustainability strategy.
Thai Union’s on-going work on sustainability issues was recognized by its inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index Emerging Markets (DJSI) in 2014. In 2017, Thai Union was named to the DJSI for the fourth consecutive year. Thai Union is also part of the FTSE4Good Emerging Index.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Chris Hughes
Global Head of Sustainability and Innovation Communications
M: +66.625.941.089
E: Christopher.hughes@thaiunion.com