In our ongoing series A More Perfect Union, we show how what unites us as Americans is far greater than what divides us. In this installment, we meet a Denver chef who’s getting kids to eat what they usually hate: vegetables.
More from the series:
Chef and restaurant owner Troy Guard is sharing his love of healthy food with children from a Denver-area hospital, many of whom are fighting chronic illnesses.
Guard grew up in the 1970s and vegetables were definitely not to his childhood taste, reports CBS News correspondent Barry Petersen.
“I grew up not really enjoying a lot of that stuff and my parents still today can’t believe I’m a chef,” Guard said.
From those roots, he’s come to a different kind of roots—creating a garden at National Jewish Health to teach kids how to grow vegetables.
“We want to put good things into our bodies, and my hope to is that it will help with what’s going on with them as well,” Guard said.
These kids suffer from chronic illnesses including respiratory diseases like cystic fibrosis and asthma. They attend a special school at the hospital called Morgridge Academy where they learn how to manage their health in addition to classroom lessons.
Many come from disadvantaged homes in neighborhoods where access to fresh produce is limited and dinner is often fast food. Guard believes better food can mean better health.
