Rutgers football players smooth on the field — and in the kitchen

Rutgers freshman Kaj Sanders will get his first taste of college football this fall. His teammates at Hannah’s Kitchen got a different first taste on Tuesday.

Sanders and teammate Shaquan Loyal spent Tuesday afternoon offering healthy eating tips to Newark kids as part of an offseason excursion to their hometown. During the trip, the two Rutgers football players picked their ingredients, crafted the healthiest choices and helped their teams take home a prize as part of the first-ever Smoothie Bowl in the Brick City.

“I know all kids will throw away their vegetables here and there, but it’s definitely worth it for your future to eat healthy — your mind, your body, physically and mentally — it’s everything,” Sanders said.

The Rutgers players joined a dozen kids between the ages of 8 and 12 and were tasked with creating their own smoothies using a list of healthy ingredients. Team Rutgers, led by Sanders, went heavy on sunflower seeds with a mix of milk, mango and other fruits. Loyal’s team, meanwhile, led with a mix of summer fruits and berries.

Loyal, a senior defensive back, said it meant a lot to give back to kids from his community.

“I also grew up around people like me who went to college and came back to Newark to help the kids so it feels good,” said Loyal, a former standout from West Side High. “This is something I want to do in the future as well.”

The competition came naturally, just like the advice from the dietitians and organizers from Hannah’s Kitchen, which offers free classes for children with diverse abilities to learn in an inclusive and adaptive kitchen. The classes, which are funded by the Hannah Peretsman Breene Foundation since 2016, aim to teach kids how to cook with nutritious ingredients while learning other kitchen essentials like knife skills and safety.

“It’s important for the kids to be able to see role models that come from the community that they come from so it’s been great having them here today,” said Molly Fallon Dixon, a registered dietician who helped coordinate the event with RWJBarnabas Health and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.

Patrick Lanni may be reached at planni@njadvancemedia.com.