Throughout May, school days in several schools across Kyrgyzstan were anything but ordinary. Blindfolded, children tried to guess the ingredients in fruit and vegetable smoothies, built a model of the digestive system using sensory toys, debated whether water, ayran, or compote makes the healthiest drink, and gained a new appreciation for the cooks who prepare their school breakfasts and lunches every day.
These activities were part of The Magic Kitchen: The Secrets of a Rainbow on Every Plate, a series of events organized by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and Russia’s Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI) to mark the International Day of Families and World Digestive Health Day. The events took place from May 14 to 21 across five provinces of Kyrgyzstan: Batken, Issyk-Kul, Osh, Talas, and the city of Bishkek.
Bringing together a classroom session, an interactive festival, and a meeting with parents, the initiative created one shared conversation about family, food, health, and appreciation for school cooks.
Older students became the younger children's guides on this journey into healthy eating. They served as presenters, team leaders, and mentors at the activity stations — the kind of older role models primary school children naturally admire and trust. When children teach children, the atmosphere changes completely. It becomes more relaxed, engaging, and enjoyable, making important lessons easier to understand and remember.
The mission to protect healthy habits
The events kicked off with an interactive classroom session titled "Health Keepers: The Mission to Bring the Rainbow Back to the Family Table."
The children were greeted by the Master of Vitamin Science, a high-grade student dressed in an academic gown and graduation cap. He introduced a story about a group of mischievous Myths that had stolen the colors of the rainbow from family meals. Food had become dull and monotonous, and children were no longer feeling their best.
The mission was clear: bring the rainbow back to the plate.
Children received a silicone wristband labeled Health Keeper, and the adventure began. Together, they set out to expose and defeat three common myths about nutrition.
The first myth claimed that "Healthy food can't taste good." To put it to the test, the children took part in a blind smoothie tasting. Hidden inside the drinks were ingredients many children would not normally choose — beetroot, spinach, and avocado. Blended with berries, apples, and yoghurt, however, they tasted surprisingly fresh, smooth, and delicious. For many children, it was a genuine revelation. "Was there really beetroot in that smoothie?" they asked in amazement.
The second myth, named "Breakfast isn't important," was explored through a Battery Power Rankings game. Children sorted foods into those that provide lasting energy throughout the school morning and those that deliver only a quick burst of energy before leaving the body running low again.
The third myth focused on fruit juices. Through discussion, the children discovered why eating whole fruit is healthier than drinking a glass of juice. They learned about the importance of fiber and concluded for themselves that the pulp and peel play an essential role in healthy digestion.
The lesson also got everyone moving. During the Energy Campfire game, children acted out the difference between quick and long-lasting energy. Whenever the Master of Vitamin Science called out sweets or sugary soft drinks, they waved their arms energetically before quickly crouching down to show how fast that kind of energy flares up and fades away. When they heard foods such as porridge, fish, vegetables, legumes, or nuts, they stood tall, raised their arms, and swayed gently like a steady, glowing flame that burns for a long time. The classroom quickly filled with laughter, excitement, and plenty of movement.
The children then discovered how the digestive system works. Their teacher guided them through the journey food takes from the mouth to the intestines and explained how the intestines move food through the body. The children quickly understood why vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and other fiber-rich foods are so important for good digestion and overall health.
The session ended with one final surprise — the Intestine Dance. As music played, the children copied the Master's flowing body waves, winding arm movements, and side-to-side steps, reinforcing everything they had just learned in a fun and memorable way.
By the end of the lesson, the myths had been defeated. Every participant received a Rainbow on Every Plate refrigerator magnet along with activity materials featuring games and challenges about healthy eating, encouraging children to continue exploring the topic at home with their families.
True heroes
A special part of the campaign was dedicated to the people without whom school meals simply would not be possible: the cooks and canteen staff.
The festival, eventually titled "Unsung Heroes: Operation Thank You, Cook!”, invited children to see these everyday heroes from a new perspective. Two weeks before the event, children formed teams and were assigned a mission: learn more about the people who prepare their school meals. They were encouraged to go beyond simply learning their names and job titles and instead discover what a typical workday looks like, what challenges they face, which dishes they most enjoy preparing, and much more.
Each team created a "case file" on its heroes, complete with creative portraits, collages, personality profiles, and short videos showing a day in the kitchen. The result was an engaging investigation that felt almost like solving a mystery.
Children began to see their school canteen in a completely different way. They realised that food does not simply appear on the table. Every bowl of hot porridge, fragrant soup, freshly baked bread loaf, and delicious cutlet is the result of countless early mornings, deliveries, careful planning, cooking, cleaning, responsibility, and genuine care, much of it happening quietly behind the scenes.
Alongside celebrating the cooks, children rotated through a series of interactive activity stations that reinforced what they had learned during the classroom session while introducing them to healthy eating and the daily work that keeps a school kitchen running.
At the Chronology station, children pieced together a cook's working day, from planning the menu to cleaning the kitchen. At the Giant Portions station, they calculated how much soup would be needed for 100 students and how many times the ovens would have to be used to bake 80 loaves of bread. At the Golden Hands station, they tried shaping the perfect cutlet — smooth and free of cracks — quickly discovering that it was much harder than it seemed.
There was also a Clean Team station, where children raced to carry trays of "dirty" dishes to the washing area as quickly and carefully as possible.
Elsewhere, children collected recipe cards, identified foods by smell, sorted foods according to their fiber content, and followed the journey of food through a model digestive system. The festival felt like one big celebration, but every activity carried an important lesson.
Parents were learning too
A separate part of the campaign focused on parents. The seminar "The Smart Kitchen: Feeding Your Family Quickly, Affordably and Without Stress" immediately struck a chord.
Most parents already know that children need vegetables, a nutritious breakfast, and a balanced diet. The real challenge is finding the time, staying within the family budget, and preparing meals that children will actually enjoy. How do you make healthy eating work after a long day when energy is already running low?
These were exactly the questions the session explored.
Together with nutrition experts, parents discussed how to plan weekly menus, make the most of seasonal produce, prepare foods in advance, freeze ingredients safely, and gradually reduce the amount of sugar and salt in family meals.
Practical ideas generated particular interest. Parents learned, for example, that berries and fruit can be frozen in season for later use in drinks, porridge, and desserts; that homemade frozen meal components can be real time-savers when prepared ahead of time; and that healthy eating does not necessarily require expensive ingredients.
Parents asked questions, shared ideas that work in their own families, and discussed school-age nutrition, vitamins, and meals during periods of heavy academic workload. Judging by the lively conversations, the format clearly met a real need.
Celebration that will last beyond photos
The campaign concluded with each team presenting its tribute to the school cooks through collages, videos, interviews, handmade cards, and heartfelt words of thanks. Every team was recognized for its unique contribution, whether for an imaginative character profile, a touching interview, creative storytelling, enthusiasm, or initiative, and all received commemorative prizes.
The cooks were honored as well, receiving gifts and aprons bearing the words "School Feeding Hero." Yet the most meaningful reward was something much simpler: the handmade cards from the children and a sincere "thank you." Because everyone deserves to know that their work is appreciated.