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Farmers markets have gained popularity in the past few years, for great reason. They are a one-stop shop for locally-grown produce and other food products, which allows you to get fresher foods while supporting local growers in your community. It can be intimidating if you’re not used to going to a market like this, and some of them can be so big it feels overwhelming. But do not let this fear stand in your way because you’ll find the quality of these foods to be better than you can imagine. More than just a better flavor, produce bought at a farmers market will also contain more nutrients since they are grown and harvested locally. On average, most produce loses 30% of nutrients within the first three days after it has been picked, which can progress to over 50% after a week for some fragile vitamins. What other reason do you need to try out your local market this spring?
No matter if you’ve been a frequent flyer at your local farmers market for ten years, or you’ve never stepped foot in the lot, there’s no better time to start buying locally than now! Finding the markets in your community is the first step; visit www.localharvest.org to help with this task. Next, plan your trip well. Try to think through your week ahead and list out what produce you’d be able to use for your family’s upcoming meals and snacks in order to reduce waste. However, as you get more comfortable with preparing fresh produce, challenge yourself to pick a new fruit or vegetable. To prevent burnout of common recipes and also try a new food entirely, use this link to find a hub of recipes that are filtered by specific fruits and vegetables you might find at your market – https://seasonalandsimple.info/produce.aspx.
If you need more tips and tricks before making your way to the farmers market this week, visit https://www.eatright.org/food/planning/smart-shopping/be-a-savvy-farmers-market-shopper to make sure you feel confident.
Source: https://www.eatright.org/food/planning/smart-shopping/be-a-savvy-farmers-market-shopper |
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Make sure to celebrate this delicious and versatile fruit this May! Strawberries are in season most everywhere in the United States right now, so that should make them readily available and cost-efficient. You can incorporate strawberries into many meals and/or snacks, and are great plain as well. Now, what makes strawberries good for our health? Just like other berries, strawberries contain a good amount of vitamin C and other antioxidants, as well as fiber and magnesium, all of which can help protect the body’s cells and organs from chronic disease. They can commonly be added to desserts, by removing fiber and adding sugar (i.e. syrup, jelly, preserves, etc); however, there are plenty of ways to take advantage of the whole fruit and its benefits. One quick way to enjoy strawberries is by cutting them up and freezing them. Now, you have an easy snack for you and your kids to easily steal when you’re looking for something sweet yet filling. Another way to utilize frozen strawberries, though, is by making a smoothie! The recipe below is dairy-based to give it plenty of protein, and is also sweetened naturally with honey or agave to make it a kid’s favorite breakfast or dessert. You may consider adding some peaches or banana instead of sweetener to give it more pop of flavor. It can be made fresh or stored in the fridge for a busy day.
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Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
1 cup trimmed/sliced strawberries (or frozen strawberries)
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
1 teaspoon Maple syrup, agave, or honey (optional)
Directions:
1. Add the yogurt and berries to the blender. Blend until very smooth for about 30-60 seconds.
2. Taste and add a few drops of fresh lemon juice and little sweetener as needed. The amount you add will depend on your fruit. If it tastes a little bland or flat, add both lemon and add 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon sweetener of your choice. If it tastes just great, you don’t have to add either!
3. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for 3-5 days in the fridge, shaking well before serving.
Allergy Tip: The yogurt in this recipe can easily be replaced by a non-dairy milk or yogurt for any lactose intolerance or milk protein allergy.
Source: https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/strawberry-smoothie-recipe/
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The human body relies on food to fuel the body because of macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) that make everything function properly. Vitamin D is one of these micronutrients that is imperative for all ages, however is incredibly important for young kids as they grow up. It plays a vital role in bone development and immunity, which can both impact other aspects of children’s lives. Unfortunately, the foods that contain the most vitamin D are not most kids’ favorites; these include salmon, sardines, tuna, cod liver oil, egg yolks, and mushrooms. Thankfully, many foods and beverages are now fortified with vitamin D, meaning that they artificially add it into these foods (such as dry cereal, orange juice, and of course dairy milk) to boost the nutrition content. Still, these foods likely provide a small portion of their needs, which are 400 international units (IU) for infants for infants <12 months old and 600 IU for kids >1 year old.
So, does that mean that every child should be taking vitamin D supplementation if they do not meet their needs with food alone? With the exception of infants who need supplemental vitamin D daily because of the low content in breast milk, most healthy kids do not need any extra supplementation. With summer around the corner, it’s important to know that our bodies can absorb UV rays from the sun and then convert it into usable vitamin D by the skin and other organs. Sunscreen and clothing can interfere with the body’s ability to get enough UV radiation to do so, however it is still possible to get more than a full day’s vitamin D requirements within 15-30 minutes outside even with sunscreen applied quickly after going outside. As the summer closes and turns into fall throughout most of the country, it may be appropriate to supplement at that time, however make sure to talk to your doctor since too much of a good thing like vitamin D can also be harmful.
Continue encouraging good sources of vitamin D in your child’s choices of food and beverages, but also remain assured that there’s something even more special about spending some time outside each day. It’s great for the body, but even better for the mind!
Source: https://www.chop.edu/news/health-tip/vitamin-d-supplements-what-parents-should-know
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The Online School Lunch Difference
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| Lunch lines and school cafeterias can make it difficult for schools to maintain social distancing. With HotLunch.com, foodservice providers can utilize a classroom-based distribution system to deliver lunch straight to a student’s classroom and maintain social distancing. |
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HotLunch.com is used by schools across North America! With HotLunch.com you can easily manage school-lunch administration, publish lunch menus online, receive payments, and reduce time spent on managing parent transactions, including fundraising, after-school care, volunteering, and much more.
See For Yourself!
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| HotLunch.com Now Available in Spanish & French |
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| Our school lunch software is now available in Spanish and French, making it easier for schools around the world to utilize our school lunch system. This update allows more families to reap the benefits of HotLunch.com. |
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| Hotlunch.com partners to educate unprivileged girls |
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We are proud to partner with Ainiti.org, an organization that empowers and educates underprivileged girls through technology. Thanks to you, profits from Hotlunch.com will be used to support girls in need.
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Instagram |
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| Abbie Hebron is a Registered Dietitian, specializing in pediatric nutrition (Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition). She graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from Missouri State University, and then attended the University of Rhode Island where she earned her master's degree. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and was the recipient of South Carolina's Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year Award in 2022. In her free time, Abbie enjoys baking, traveling, hiking, and playing tennis with family and friends. |
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Simple, Fast, Accurate solution for Schools, Food Service Providers & Offices
www.hotlunch.com |
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