Green Tastes Great

Fuel up to Play 60 is a program founded by the National Dairy Council and NFL, in collaboration with the USDA.  This program empowers schools to make healthy changes in the areas of nutrition and physical activity.  At Gretna Elementary the Fuel Up student advisor team held a taste testing event at the school’s annual sock hop dance.  The event was held in March.  So to keep in line with a St. Patrick ’s Day theme all the fruit and vegetables were green:  green apples, kiwi, broccoli, and zucchini.  The food service manager had suggested green foods that she was considering offering at lunch.  This was a great opportunity to give her feedback from the students.  Green apples were by far the most popular, kiwi came in second, with broccoli rounding out third place, and zucchini in a very distant fourth place.  Even though zucchini wasn’t popular with all the kids some of the youngest guest really enjoyed it (as pictured).  He ended up eating almost the entire zucchini.  We sent the leftover zucchini home with the families with recipes to make zucchini bread, and zucchini “chips.”  Many parents expressed thanks for Fuel Up and the role it has had in increasing their children’s awareness of the importance good nutrition and many of the students request to be on the Fuel Up to Play team next year.  Click here for your school to join  Fuel Up to Play 60.