Kids in 125 elementary school classrooms in 12 states are getting a real education through "Veggie U," a five-week course that teaches children how to make food choices.

Along the way, the students also learn a little about where food comes from, and encouraged to grow their own.

"If they have a choice between an apple and a Snickers bar, hopefully they'll think about it and weigh their options," fourth-grade teacher Kelly Bohn of Vickery, Ohio told The Associated Press.

Schools receive free course materials from the nonprofit Veggie U organization, thanks to private donations and a grant from Birds Eye Foods.

In addition to the curriculum, each classroom gets a grow light, seeds and potting soil. At the end of the course, they make their own salads from the harvest.

Farmer Bobby Jones of Milan, Ohio and his family came up with the idea for the program after a casual discussion about childhood obesity. They worked with teachers to develop the course, covering composting, soil, plant nurients and seeds.

Numerous studies have shown that North American children suffer from high rates of obesity.

These days "Fat Albert" is just one of the guys.

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