The School District of Osceola County
School Nutrition Services
School Nutrition Services is committed to enhancing education by providing meals that are nutritious and appealing while being served by caring professionals in a friendly atmosphere.
The School Nutrition Services Department is proud to offer nutrition & agriculture education that helps students LEARN MORE about the foods on their lunch tray & why those foods are good for them!
Apples | Green Beans | Milk | Oranges
Strawberries | Blueberries | Corn | Watermelon
Potatoes | Grapefruit | Zucchini
Fiber Calcium Vitamin D Vitamin C
Fiber Vitamin K Manganese Hydration Potassium
Apples
Apples are one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits. The U.S. is home to approximately of apple orchards. of the Most Popular Varieties of Apples:
Red Delicious
Gala
Golden Delicious
apples apples are
2,500+ There are
Most apples are HAND-PICKED. An apple blossom is the flower that comes from an apple tree. different varieties of apples are grown in the U.S.
Apple trees take 4- 8 years to start producing fruit.
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
Insoluble fiber is sometimes referred to as “roughage. ”
2 types of fiber:
1. Soluble fiber
Insoluble fiber
Fiber is ONLY found in plant foods.
Dairy & meat products do not have any fiber.
Fiber helps to regulate the body’s use of sugar.
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.
Green Beans
Green beans are kidney beans that are harvested at a young age.
Green beans taste best when they are thinner than a pencil.
Green beans are the 3rd most homegrown vegetable
Bush & pole are the 2 main types of green beans.
130+ varieties of green beans.
Green beans are also known as string or snap beans.
Calcium
Calcium supports healthy bones as well as proper blood
Calcium is the 5th most abundant chemical element in the Earth’s crust.
99% of the body’s calcium is stored in the bones blood, muscles & other tissues. Calcium helps to heal cuts & wounds.
Calcium helps form bones and teeth and keep them healthy. heart health.
Calcium is the MOST abundant mineral in the human body.
Milk is a type of dairy product –most commonly made from cows.
Milk is made up of 85-95% water with the rest being fats, proteins, carbohydrates & vitamins
Breeds of Dairy Cows: 6
1. Ayrshire
2. Brown Swiss
3. Guernsey
4. Holstein
5. Jersey
6. Milking Shorthorn
Holstein cows all have a unique pattern of spots!
1 cow produces around 6 gallons of milk per day. Cows can SEE almost 360 degrees and SMELL up to 6 miles away!
Vitamin D
Vitamin D supports the development & maintenance of bones, teeth & muscles.
Vitamin D is the ONLY vitamin that the body can make on its own.
Vitamin D helps prevent cavities.
Vitamin D supports the immune system
Vitamin D is known as “The Sunshine Vitamin. ”
Only a few foods naturally contain vitamin D.
Most people get the majority of their vitamin D when their skin is exposed to the sun.
Vitamin D can help boost happy moods!
Vitamin D helps the body phosphate from food.
Calcium and phosphate are essential for strong bones.
Oranges are a type of for its sweet, juicy pulp
Popular Types of Oranges:
Navel
Hamlin
Valencia
600+ varieties of oranges.
Orange season is 9 months long… October - June!
are juiced.
Sub-tropical areas have ideal climate for growing oranges.
Most oranges are harvested by hand.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C supports the immune systemthe body’s defense against infections.
ENERGY booster!
Vitamin C is also referred to as “ascorbic acid.”
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.
Vitamin C helps keep you happy & healthy! What do you call a vitamin that improves your eyesight?
A Vitamin C!
Vitamin C is a very important vitamin for healthy gums & teeth.
Strawberries
Strawberries are a type of aggregate fruit a collection of ‘little fruits’ held together.
Strawberries are a part of the rose family.
Strawberries are the FIRST fruit to ripen in the spring.
Peak strawberry harvesting season is April - June.
3 strawberry has 200 seeds.
1. June-bearing 2. Ever-bearing 3. Day-neutral
Strawberries are the ONLY fruit with seeds on the outside.
90% of the strawberries grown in the U.S. are from California.
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
Insoluble fiber is sometimes referred to as “roughage. ”
2 types of fiber:
1. Soluble fiber
Insoluble fiber
Fiber is ONLY found in plant foods.
Dairy & meat products do not have any fiber.
Fiber helps to regulate the body’s use of sugar.
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.
