Birdville ISD, TX - September 2026

D I G I T A L

M A G A Z I N E

SEPTEMBER 2026

Birdville Independent School District Celebrating Local Food, Farmers & Nutrition Education!

E N R I C H M E N T

J oin u s f or a w a rd winning mea ls!

Birdville ISD’s Child Nutrition goal is to “promote life-long healthy habits and support student achievement by providing the most nutritious, appealing meals, prepared under safe and sanitary conditions.”

Strawberries | Cauliflower | Green Peas | Peaches

Vitamin C

Potassium

Fiber

Vitamin A

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Strawberries Strawberries are a type of aggregate fruit (not a berry) - a collection of ‘little fruits’ held together.

The U.S is the largest strawberry producing country in the world.

JUNE is National Strawberry Month!

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Main Types of Strawberries:

1. June-bearing 2. Ever-bearing 3. Day-neutral All strawberries are hand picked.

Strawberries are the FIRST fruit to ripen in the spring.

The average strawberry has 200 seeds.

Strawberries are the ONLY fruit with seeds on the outside.

Peak strawberry harvesting season lasts from April through June.

Vitamin C Vitamin C supports the immune system the body’s defense against infections.

ENERGY booster!

Vitamin C helps to heal wounds.

Vitamin C is also referred to as “ascorbic acid.”

Vitamin C helps keep you happy & healthy!

Vitamin C is an antioxidant.

Antioxidants help protect against damage caused by exposure to harmful substances in the environment.

The body cannot make vitamin C on its own - it has to come from food.

What do you call a vitamin that improves your eyesight?

A Vitamin C! Vitamin C is a very important vitamin for healthy gums & teeth.

Cauliflower Cauliflower is a type of cruciferous vegetable related to broccoli, cabbage, kale & others.

Cauliflower is white due to its large leaves protecting it from the sun.

“Cabbage Flower”

Cauliflower is made up of tiny flower buds called “florets.”

The BIGGER the cauliflower head, the BIGGER the flavor!

Cauliflower is a coolseason crop & very sensitive to extreme weather.

Cauliflower can be white, green, purple, orange, brown or yellow!

Cauliflower takes 50 - 85 days to grow from a seed to being ready to harvest.

Potassium Potassium supports balancing fluid in the body & proper function of the muscles and nerves.

Once potassium enters the body, it functions as an electrolyte.

Electrolytes help balance the amount of water in the body.

Potassium is the THIRD most abundant mineral in the body.

Helps to keep the body hydrated!

FUN FACT: The body is made up of approximately 60% water.

Potassium helps to regulate the heart rate.

Potassium helps to regulate muscle contractions.

Potassium helps promote bone health.

98%

of the body’s potassium is found in its cells.

Many runners eat foods high in potassium before a run to prevent muscle cramps.

Peas Peas are a type of legume – plants that produce pods containing seeds.

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Main Types of Peas:

1. English Pea 2. Snow Pea 3. Sugar Snap Pea English peas are the most popular.

The U.S. is home to about 893,000 acres of peas.

Pea pods grow to be around 4 inches long.

The average pea weighs 0.1 - 0.3 grams!

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Peas are cool-weather crops that cannot tolerate the heat.

There are 5 - 10 peas in each pod.

A fully mature pea is yellow.

Peas are ready for harvesting 60 - 70 days after planting.

Fiber Fiber supports movement through the digestive system.

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body doesn’t digest; it simply passes through.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water…it helps regulate blood sugar levels and removes cholesterol from the blood stream.

Insoluble fiber is sometimes referred to as “roughage.”

Dairy & meat products do not have any fiber.

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types of fiber:

1. Soluble fiber 2. Insoluble fiber

Fiber helps to regulate the body’s use of sugar.

Fiber is ONLY found in plant foods.

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water…it helps food move throughout the digestive system.

BOTH forms of fiber are important & beneficial to overall health.

Peaches Peaches are a type of stone fruit - a fleshy fruit that contains a hard “pit” inside.

Peaches come in two main categories: Peaches are in clingstone and freestone peaches. peak season from June - August.

Freestone peaches are the most common.

There are over 300 different varieties of peaches.

1 peach tree can produce up to 66 pounds of fruit each year.

Peaches are harvested by HAND.

Peaches take 3 - 5 months to grow once pollinated.

Peach trees usually grow to be around 25 feet tall.

Vitamin A Vitamin A supports good vision, growth & immunity.

Vitamin A helps improve eyesight to see better at night and experience more vivid colors during the day.

How far can you read down this eye chart?

Vitamin A has antioxidant properties.

Vitamin A can help speed up the healing process of cuts & scrapes.

Vitamin A supports the immune system to fight off infections.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin – which means it absorbs better into the body when eaten with foods with some fat like avocados!