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
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
Lafayette and Okeechobee are Florida’s leading dairy counties.
FUN FACTS
Most of the dairy cows in Florida are Holsteins (the black and white cows), and their spots are unique like a fingerprint!
DAIRY FACTS
Cows chew their cud 50 times per minute.
How many times can chew in a minute?!
Cows can SEE almost and SMELL up to 6 miles away!
Most Florida dairy herds range 150 -
Florida dairy farmers byproducts such as citrus pulp, brewers’ grain and whole cottonseed that are consumed by the cows instead of ending up in landfills.
A Florida dairy cow produces about 68 gallons of milk each day.
Nutrition
provides a powerful package of support your overall health?
STRONG BONES & TEETH
Calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D in dairy help build and maintain strong bones and teeth.
MUSCLE GROWTH & REPAIR
The high-quality protein found in dairy foods aids in building and repairing muscles.
ENERGY CONVERSION
B vitamins in dairy help convert food into fuel, ensuring you have the energy needed throughout the day.
Starting the day with a nutritious breakfast that includes dairy helps fuel learning!
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.
Eat Good .
Feel Good .
Do Good .
March is National Nutrition Month
Let’s celebrate! National Nutrition Month is all about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating habits. a time to learn how to keep our bodies strong and healthy! Eating nutritious foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains and proteins gives us energy to play, learn and grow.
Blueberries
Blueberries are a type of fruit known for their mildly tarte taste.
Types
Blueberries:
The U.S. is home to around 102,000 acres of blueberries.
Blueberries are native to North America.
4 JULY is National Blueberry Month!
Highbush blueberries are the most common.
The waxy coating on blueberries is called “bloom.”
1 blueberry bush can produce 6,000 blueberries/year.
Blueberries are one the only food naturally blue in color.
Lowbush blueberries are smaller & sweeterperfect for making jam!
Vitamin K
Vitamin K supports proper blood function, bone growth & kidney health. The body has the ability to create vitamin K on its own.
2 main forms of vitamin K: K1 and K2.
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble which means… It absorbs better into the body when eaten with foods with some fat like olive oil or avocados!
Vitamin K helps the body heal from wounds.
Vitamin K helps produce proteins that bind themselves to calcium - this helps build strong bones.
Vitamin K supports heart health.
Vitamin K is found throughout the body in the liver, brain, heart, pancreas & bones.
Vitamin K plays a role in proper blood function- specifically with clotting.
Sweet Corn
Corn is considered a grain, fruit & vegetable
The U.S. is the LARGEST producer, consumer & exporter of corn in the world.
Humans only eat sweet corn
An ear of corn ALWAYS of land can produce of sweet corn.
Corn is grown on EVERY continent except Antarctica.
There are around 800 kernels on each ear of corn. field crop.
In many other countries, corn is called “maize
1 corn stalk produces 1 - 3 ears of corn
Corn stalks can grow between 7 – 10 feet tall.
Manganese
Manganese supports the body’s energy levels & protecting its cells from damage.
Manganese is a trace mineral the body only needs small amounts of it. promotes brain health Foods like kale absorb minerals through their roots.
Manganese helps Manganese
Minerals, like manganese naturally against infections.
helps the body blood clots helping wounds heal faster!
Watermelon
Watermelon is a type of fruit that is a part of the gourd family
Watermelons are related to cucumbers
Watermelons are harvested by hand
There are over 1,200 varieties watermelon.
Watermelons are technically a fruit AND a vegetable.
JULY is National
Watermelons take 90 days to grow from seed to fruit.
Seedless watermelon are the most popular.
Watermelon Month!
Watermelons are 92% water.
Watermelons are grown in 96+ countries worldwide.
Hydration
Hydration is the process of replacing fluids Water is the body’s main source of hydration.
Being hydrated helps convert food into energy
Hydration helps regulate body’s temperature
The body’s 6 essential nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals & WATER !
Water helps carry nutrients & oxygen to all the cells in the body.
Proper hydration can help to improve moods.
The body is better at fighting off when properly hydrated.
Sleep quality can improve when the body is hydrated.
Many fruits & vegetables have a high water content, making them hydrating to eat.
Potatoes
Potatoes are a starchy vegetable - specifically, a tuber.
U.S. farmers produce around 4.5 million pounds of potatoes every hour.
35% of potatoes are turned into French fries.
Tubers are vegetables that grow underground at the base of the root.
In 1995, potatoes became the first vegetable grown in
Potatoes are also referred to as “spuds.”
AUGUST
13
National Potato Day
Potatoes are grown in all 50 states. Potatoes are an annual plant.
Potatoes are the 2nd most consumed food in the U.S. after dairy products.
Potatoes are a part of the nightshade family.
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 amount of water in the body.
Helps to keep the body
Potassium is the THIRD most abundant mineral
The body is made 60% helps promote .
Potassium helps to regulate the heart rate
Potassium helps to regulate contractions.
Many runners eat foods high in potassium like pears before a run to
Word Scramble
SRYBDTAHEROCA
EMIUNM HTAHEL
ZNCI CIMUALC ORNI
AOIDXTAITNN
TVAIINM C
YDARI TAREH HALTEH
BEIRF ENPRTOI
