Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Mel who lived on top of a hill, in a colorful little house. She was very smart and loved to play, but she had a problem: all she wanted to eat was candy.
In the morning, she would ask for lollipops. At lunch, she would only accept cake. And at night, she would only sleep after eating lots of chocolate chips. Mel’s parents tried to offer her good food, but she would always say:
“Yuck! This doesn’t taste like sugar!”
Over time, Mel began to feel strange. Her stomach hurt, her teeth became sensitive and she couldn’t run around like she used to. Even toys began to lose their appeal.
Then, one quiet afternoon, a curious little animal appeared at the window. It was a fox with glasses and an apron, named Doctor Nutri.
“Hello, Mel!” said the fox in a firm and gentle voice. “Your body is crying out for help. It needs real food!
” “But I like candy…” replied Mel, curled up.
The fox opened a magic map and pointed to a place in the middle of the forest:
“I’ll take you to the Village of Strong Foods. There, you’ll discover what your body really needs to grow up happy.”
Mel agreed, and the two of them walked through tall trees until they reached a clearing where the Strong Foods lived:
• Mrs. Carrot, who helped her see well in the dark;
• Mr. Rice and Mrs. Bean, who gave her energy to run and think;
• Captain Chicken, with muscles in his arms and a brave smile;
• Grandma Lettuce, who sang songs that calmed the heart;
• And the wisest of them all: Master Meat, a gentle ox who explained how his strength came from the proteins he stored.
Master Meat said:
“Mel, the sugar you’ve eaten so far has only fooled your body. It’s like putting sand in the tank of a car. Real food is what makes everything work: muscles, thoughts, courage, joy.”
Mel tried a dish with rice, beans, carrots, meat, and fresh leaves. With each bite, she felt a light turn on inside her. When she finished, she was already jumping and smiling like she hadn’t done in a long time.
She understood that sweets are not food — they are distractions. And that what comes from nature is what builds, protects and makes you grow.
The next day, she asked her mother to prepare a dish just like the one in the village. And, every now and then, she remembered the fox and the friends who taught her to listen to her body.
Moral of the story:
Real food is what comes from the earth and from animals. These are the foods that give you strength, health and joy. Sweets don’t nourish you — they only deceive you. What makes a child grow up happy is meat, rice, beans, vegetables and fruits.
