September
The Trucks are Rolling Bringing Fruit and Vegetable Snacks to Our School!
Did you know that we are participants for the School Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program?
Students will receive a free snack twice a week for the school year. This snack is not meant to replace food normally consumed at recess or lunch. The goal is to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and fibre that promote health and prevent disease. Studies show that Canadians in general are not eating enough fruits and vegetables. Eating one more fruit or vegetable a day can make a difference.
Get the school year off to a good start with healthy good tasting fresh fruits and vegetables. For back to school lunches:
* Pick freshly harvested BC fruits like apples, pears, plums, grapes and vegetables like carrot and celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, and colourful pepper slices
| * Wash fruits and vegetables before packing in lunch bags | * Enjoy the great taste of local fruits and vegetables
|
October
Autumn is Harvest Time in BC
Many communities are having fall fairs or apple festivals to celebrate the harvest. Farmers markets are still open and many farms offer tours of corn mazes and pumpkin patches. Try to take advantage of these opportunities to explore the bounty of food produced in our province.
Traditionally Thanksgiving was a time to give thanks for the food that was harvested and would sustain families through the winter. Think about featuring BC fruits and vegetables for your Thanksgiving dinner (e.g., mashed BC russet potatoes and turnip, locally grown Brussels sprouts or beans, carrot and cabbage coleslaw, fresh BC fruit salad, apple or pumpkin pie).
* Pick BC fruits and vegetables
| * Wash fruits and vegetables before cooking or eating | * Enjoy and celebrate the great taste of local fruits and vegetables |
Which would you pick?
Juice box - 200 ml | Drink box - 200 ml | 600 ml pop or beverage like Snapple |
100% Real juice | Coloured sugar water with a bit of real juice for flavour | Coloured flavoured sugar water |
Natural sweetness | 6-12 tsp. Sugar (30 - 60 ml) | 14-20 tsp. Sugar (70 -100 ml) |
Beware of words like beverage, cocktail, and punch when purchasing drinks for school lunches. According to Canadian labeling regulations only drinks that are 100% juice can call themselves juice. Other drinks sometimes try to look like juice with pictures of fruit or words like "real juice flavour" but most have very little real juice. Read the ingredient list and look for 100% juice with no sugars added (hint: the following words are sugars - sucrose, glucose, fructose, corn syrup).
Frozen juice boxes will thaw out by lunch time and still be cold. They also keep the rest of the lunch cool and out of the danger zone for bacteria growth.
Real fruit juice counts as a serving for the Vegetable and Fruit Group of Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Living but you can get even greater health benefits if you eat fresh fruit, so...
* Pick local fruits and vegetables
| * Wash fruits and vegetables before eating | * Enjoy eating 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day |
November
Breakfast FAST
No time for breakfast? Try these:
Breakfast in a Drink
Make fruit smoothies in a blender or food processor. Blend, fruit juice, milk, yogurt, or soft tofu, and pieces of fruit. Experiment with different juices and fruit. For a thicker drink use chunks of frozen fruit. Pour into a travel mug and enjoy on the way to school or work.
Breakfast Wrap and Roll
Spread a tortilla with light cream cheese and add any vegetables on hand (left over cooked vegetables, shredded carrot or lettuce, alfalfa or mixed sprouts, strips of sweet red or green pepper), season with your favourite dressing or salsa. Roll up and eat on the go.
Grab a muffin or a bagel, add a piece of cheese, and nature's fast food - a piece of fruit - for a quick nutritious breakfast.
* Pick local fruits and vegetables
| * Wash fruits and vegetables before eating | * Enjoy the great taste of local fruits and vegetables |
The fruits and vegetables served in this program are washed and ready to eat. Handlers and students are reminded of the importance of regular hand washing.
According to the Fight BAC!™ (bacteria) campaign the best way to reduce the risk of foodborne illness is to follow these four simple steps:
* CLEAN: Wash hands, utensils and surfaces with hot soapy water before, during and after preparing foods. Sanitize countertops, cutting boards and utensils with a mild bleach and water solution. Wash all produce thoroughly before eating or cooking.
* SEPARATE: Keep raw meats and poultry away from other foods during storage and preparation. Keep separate cutting boards for raw meats and vegetables. Always keep foods covered.
* COOK: Cook food thoroughly -- cooking times and temperatures vary for different meat and poultry. Prepare foods quickly, and serve immediately so foods don't linger at room temperatures where bacteria can grow.
* CHILL: Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food and leftovers within two hours. Make sure the refrigerator is set at a temperature of 4°C (40°F), and keep the freezer at -18°C (0°F).
* Pick a variety of local fruits and vegetables
| * Wash hands before eating * Wash fruits and vegetables before eating | * Enjoy the taste of local fruits and vegetables
|
December
Fruit for Snacks and Desserts
Keep washed fresh fruits and canned fruit cups handy for instant, low-fat snacks.
Research shows that children tend to eat more fruit if it is cut up and peeled for them. So have a bowl of prepared fruit pieces in the fridge in easy reach for quick snacking. Some fresh fruits turn brown when exposed to air (e.g., apple and pear slices). You can prevent this by dipping the pieces in lemon juice.
Cut up fresh fruit and combine with canned and frozen fruit to make your own fruit cocktail. Serve with yogurt if desired.
Baked apples make a delicious dessert. So do crisps and cobblers made with a combination of apples and berries.
* Pick local fruits.
| * Wash fresh fruits before eating | * Enjoy eating 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day |
Eat Together
In recent studies, researchers have found that students in grade 4 to 6 who ate dinners with their family consumed more vegetables, more fruit and juice and less pop.
Also when adults and children eat together
* Children do better in school
* Children have fewer behavior problems
* Communication improves between children and adults
* Meals are more nutritious and healthful [1]
Eating together is a challenge for today's busy families but making an effort even a couple of days a week can make a difference to long-term health.
* Pick a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables.
| * Wash fruits and vegetables before eating | * Enjoy eating 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day |
[1] Refer to the Agriculture in the Classroom website for current research references http://www.aitc.ca/bc
January
Winter Salads
BC carrots and cabbage are available all winter. Combine grated carrots and dried cranberries, blueberries or raisins and a light mayonnaise or salad dressing for a quick winter salad. Or combine shredded carrots, cabbage and sunflower seeds in the same manner for a quick coleslaw. Apple and shredded cabbage also works well.
BC Greenhouses provide fresh sweet peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers almost all year round. In the winter months combine these veggies with onion and feta cheese to create a Greek style salad. Drizzle with a little olive oil and lemon juice and seasoning such as oregano, salt and pepper or use your family's favourite bottled dressing.
PICK... | WASH... | ENJOY! |
* Pick local fruits and vegetables. * Pick a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables.
| * Wash hands before eating * Wash fruits and vegetables before eating | * Enjoy the taste of local fruits and vegetables * Enjoy eating 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day |
Winter Vegetables
BC root vegetables store well and are available all winter. Look for BC grown carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, and beets. Peel, chop and combine with similarly prepared BC potatoes, toss with a bit of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and seasonings and bake in covered pan at 400° F (200° C) for about an hour or until tender. It's an easy accompaniment for a meal and roasting is a quick, easy way to bring out the best flavors of many vegetables.
BC grown winter squash (e.g., Acorn, Butternut, Hubbard, Spaghetti) is also available. Winter squash can be baked with or without a stuffing. Cut them in half and remove the seeds. (Hint: microwave the whole squash for a few minutes to soften it just enough to make cutting it in half easier). Then fill the center with a mixture of diced apples, dried cranberries and cinnamon. Sprinkle them with a little fruit juice, cover and microwave or bake until they are tender.
Remember veggies are veggies, whether fresh or frozen. When fresh produce is canned or frozen at the peak of harvest, little is lost in the way of nutrients. The same is true for fruits. When buying canned or frozen fruit beware of those packed in heavy syrup. Look for those in their own juice or light syrup.
* Pick local fruits and vegetables.
| * Wash fresh fruits and vegetables before eating | * Enjoy the taste of local fruits and vegetables |
BC Farmers Grow Food for You
More than 200 different commodities are produced on about 20,000 agricultural farms in BC.
Less that 5% of the land in BC is suited to agricultural production. It is included in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). The ALR was put in place to preserve farmland and provide some guarantee that it would continue to be available to produce food for future generations.
Vegetables grown in BC include: asparagus, beans, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese vegetables, corn, cucumber, eggplant, fennel, green onion, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, parsley, parsnips, peas, peppers, potatoes, rutabagas, spinach, sprouts, squash, tomatoes, and watercress.
Fruits grown in BC include: apples, apricots, berries, cherries, cantaloupes, grapes, kiwifruits, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, rhubarb and watermelons.
Look for Grown in BC when buying fruits and vegetables and support BC Farm families.
* Pick a variety of local fruits and vegetables | * Wash fruits and vegetables before eating | * Enjoy the taste of local fruits and vegetables
|
Colour Your World with a Variety of Fruits and Vegetables.
The wide range of vitamins, mineral and phytochemicals found in different colours of fruits and vegetables are used by the body to stay healthy and energetic. Also, they protect against the effects of aging, help maintain healthy body weight, and may reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.
There are five main colours:
Blue/purple - e.g., blueberries, prune plums, red cabbage, purple grapes, blackberries, purple carrots, purple peppers, eggplant
Green - e.g., green grapes, green pears, broccoli, romaine lettuce, spinach, green apples, kiwi fruit, brussel sprouts, green cabbage, green beans, green peppers, peas, zucchini
White - e.g., cauliflower, brown pears, mushrooms, onions, parsnip, white corn, potatoes, garlic
Yellow/Orange - e.g., peaches, nectarines, cantaloupe, oranges, winter squash, pumpkin, yellow peppers, carrots, turnip, apricots, yellow potatoes, corn, yellow beans
Red - e.g., tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, red grapes, red potatoes, rhubarb, beets, cranberries, cherries, red peppers, red apples
* Pick a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables.
| * Wash fruits and vegetables before eating | * Enjoy the taste of different coloured fruits and vegetables. |
March
Eat Your Colours Every Day
For Breakfast: sprinkle blueberries (blue/purple) on your cereal or add frozen strawberries or raspberries to your breakfast smoothie (red) or add green pepper to your scrambled eggs (green)
For Snacks: pack carrot sticks (yellow/orange), or a red apple, or some green grapes
For Lunch: try cherry tomatoes (red), a kiwi (green) or nectarine (yellow/orange)
For Dinner: have a green salad, some potatoes (white), corn (yellow), or beets (red)
For Dessert: make a multi-coloured fruit salad or try an apple and berry crisp.
You get the picture - try to eat a rainbow of colourful fruits and vegetables every day.
* Pick a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables.
| * Wash fresh fruits and vegetables before eating | * Enjoy the taste of different coloured fruits and vegetables. |
April
Raw Rutabaga Slices in Test Markets Around BC
Click here for a newspaper article about our Rutabaga Trial in Kelowna, BC
Ways to Add More Fruits and Vegetables
* Toss fruit into your green salad - try fresh or frozen blueberries, strawberries or raspberries, chopped apple or pear
* Try adding chopped apple or dried blueberries or cranberries to coleslaw or tuna/chicken salad
* Left over cooked vegetables can be transformed into a salad by tossing lightly with a low fat Italian dressing
* Don't serve ice cream naked - top with fresh or frozen berries or canned fruit
* Add extra chopped vegetables (carrots, broccoli, sweet pepper, potatoes, mushrooms) to soup, stews, chili, spaghetti sauce, and casseroles.
* Pick a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables.
| * Wash fruits and vegetables before eating | * Enjoy eating 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day |
Make Fruits and Vegetables Convenient
* Stock up on frozen vegetables - they are easy to do in the microwave, and great additions to canned soups or casseroles.
* Stock up on frozen fruits - they make quick additions to fruit salads and smoothies
* Take advantage of the peeled and chopped and bagged salads, vegetables and fruit. They are ready to eat.
* Keep canned fruit in the fridge ready to add to cereal or as the start of a fruit salad. Think about preserving your own peaches, apricots, plums, pears when they are at their peak of freshness and BC grown.
* Individual packs of 100 percent fruit and vegetable juices are great for snacks.
PICK... | WASH... | ENJOY! |
* Pick local fruits and vegetables. * Pick a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables.
| * Wash hands before eating * Wash fruits and vegetables before eating | * Enjoy the taste of local fruits and vegetables * Enjoy eating 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day |
Taste the First Veggies of Spring
Nugget potatoes, leafy lettuce, radishes, green onions, tender spinach ... are the first vegetables produced by BC farmers. They should be available soon in a store or farmers' market near you. Watch for them and enjoy the taste of spring.
Springtime is also Time to Plant a Seed for Good Health - Plant a Family Garden
A great way to introduce children to nutrient and fibre rich vegetables is to involve them in planting and caring for a family garden.
No space for a backyard garden - try a simple windowsill garden or gardening in pots on the balcony or patio. One pot could hold a variety of greens (lettuce, spinach, arugula, parsley, chard) for salads and sandwiches.
* Pick local fruits and vegetables.
| * Wash fresh fruits and vegetables before eating | * Enjoy the taste of local fruits and vegetables |
This program uses BC produce whenever possible.
Top Reasons to Buy Local
* Locally grown food tastes better (it hasn't lost flavour in getting here from far away and long term storage)
* Local produce is better for you (it hasn't lost nutrients during transportation and storage like produce that has spent a week getting here)
* Local food preserves genetic diversity (local farms grown a large number of varieties)
* Local food supports local farmers (consuming local food helps keep farm families doing the work they love)
* Local food builds community (relationships develop with food producers when people seek out local foods, support farmers' markets, community gardens and other food projects)
* Local food preserves open space (when farmers can make a living from their land it is less likely to be sold off for development)
* Local food supports a clean environment and benefits wildlife (in general farmers are stewards of the land)
* Local food is about the future (supporting local farmers ensures the farm will be there to produce nourishing, flavourful food in the future)
* Pick local fruits and vegetables.
| * Wash fruits and vegetables before eating | * Enjoy the taste of local fruits and vegetables |
