Real Food Rules Podcast
Real Food Songwriting is a podcast series from the STEAM Fund that showcases original songs written and performed by students through our hands-on Real Food Songwriting Program. In classrooms and communities, students collaborate to create music and lyrics around themes of nutrition, wellness, and making healthy choices—turning learning into creativity you can hear. Each episode features a student-created song that reflects their voices, ideas, and growth through the program. New episodes are released weekly, highlighting the power of music, education, and real food to inspire positive change. If you’re interested in bringing the Real Food Songwriting Program to your school or community, contact info@steamfund.org
Real Food Rules Podcast
Real Food Rules - RJK Middle School (Monticello NY CSD)
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What happens when 6th graders learn about nutrition and get to write their own lyrics?
In the winter of 2026, students at Robert J. Kaiser (RJK) Middle School in Monticello, NY, partnered with STEAM Fund’s teaching artists Beth & Scott Bierko to explore the difference between real food and processed food—and transformed what they learned into original songwriting lyrics for the high-energy song Real Food Rules.
Through the Real Food Songwriting Program, students connected wellness, creativity, and teamwork while building skills across science, health, language arts, and music. Inspired by questions like “What does food mean to you?” and “How does food make you feel?”, their lyrics highlight how real food fuels focus, energy, and healthy habits—while encouraging smarter choices like reading labels, choosing whole foods, and swapping out ultra-processed snacks.
🎤 Song: “Real Food Rules” – Lyrics written and performed by 6th Graders at RJK Middle School
Listen for the powerful message about real vs. ultra-processed foods, making smart healthy choices, and how paying attention to what we eat can shape how we feel—and celebrate how music can inspire lifelong wellness! ❤️🥕🍎🎵
This project was made possible by the generous support of:
• The Rowley Family Foundation
• The Bonacic Family Foundation
• Sullivan County Discretionary Fund
• 98.3 WSUL Heart-A-Thon ❤️
• SC BOCES AIE CoSer
Interested in bringing this engaging, student-centered program to your school or district? Visit steamfund.org and contact Gary Siegel to learn how The Real Food Songwriting Program can work for your school and community.
Special thanks to everyone at RJK Middle School and our friends at A Single Bite for making this experience so meaningful!
In the winter of twenty twenty six, the sixth graders of Robert J. Kaiser Middle School in Monticello, New York learned about healthy food choices. Then they wrote their own lyrics and recorded a brand new song called Real Food Rules.
SPEAKER_01There's one thing we know for sure.
SPEAKER_02Everyone needs to eat. Tell me, tell me, tell me what does food mean to you? Where does it come from? What does it do? What are your favorites? Are they real? Tell me, tell me, tell me how does food make you feel? When you pay attention Real food rules Real food helps you focus when there's work to be done.
unknownIt also gives you energy for fun in the sun. When you're feeling hungry, have some protein each day. But chicken, beans, or burgers can go out and play.
SPEAKER_02If you wanna stay healthy, real food rules! Tell me, tell me, tell me what the food means to you! Where does it come from? What does it do? What are your favorites? Are they real? Tell me, tell me, tell me how the food make you feel. Tell me, pay attention! Real food rules! If you're eating cookies and you're craving some more, take the cookies off the counter, put them back in the drawer. Make a healthy ice little smoothie full of veggies and fruit, spinach berries and bananas and some water or juice. Try to make the choices! Real food rolls! Chummy tummy tummy what the spooky to you! Where does it come from? What does it do? What are your favorites? Are they real? Tell me, tell me, tell me how the spooky to feel! Well you pay attention! Real food! Real food is real food is real is healthy food, real food is real, food is real, boo it's healthy food, girl from the water and the sky above it, we believe that Hell is love, girl from the water and the sky above, we believe that's love, a girl from the water and the sky above, we believe that helping flood, a hill from the water and the sky above, we believe that's love.