FAYETTEVILLE -- Bright colored bell peppers were center stage Friday at Happy Hollow Elementary School's lunchroom.
The School District launched Harvest of the Month, a nationwide initiative to encourage children to eat more locally grown produce.
At A Glance (w/logo)
The Bell Pepper
The bell pepper is native to tropical areas of the Western Hemisphere. Christopher Columbus took bell peppers to his homeland after his voyage to discover the Americas. The bell pepper is the best known sweet pepper and named for its bell-like shape. It has a mild, sweet flavor and crisp, juicy flesh. When young, the majority of bell peppers are a rich, bright green, but there are also yellow, orange, purple, red and brown bell peppers.
Source: www.foodterms.com/e…
A seasonal fruit or vegetable from an Arkansas farm will be featured in menus and salad bars in all schools, said Ally Mrachek, nutrition supervisor.
The program includes tasting a fruit or vegetable or grain each month with University of Arkansas dietetic students assisting in the lunchtime events. Fayetteville artists have designed and produced banners to be displayed in the cafeterias. Students will take home recipe cards to encourage parents to cook with the fruit or vegetable of the month.
Upcoming choices include butternut squash, eggplant and rice, Ally Mrachek, nutrition supervisor, said.
Jared Martinez tried green, orange and red strips of the bell peppers, sliced and served by two university students.
Jared, 7, gave the vegetable a thumbs up while munching on a slice of orange pepper.
The bright colors of the bell-shaped pepper come from a green pepper that has become overripe, Mrachek said.
The peppers have been used in enchiladas, spaghetti and tetrazzini served in the cafeterias this month.
"Taste tests are a fun way for students and staff to try new foods, gain an appreciation for local produce and learn where their food comes from," Mrachek said. The peppers came from the McGarrah farm in Lowell, she added. Twelve pounds of peppers were sliced for Happy Hollow students.
Students vote each month if they like the selected item or not. Mrachek said that level of participation allows students to have a say in what is served in the cafeteria and encourages them to try new foods.
While Jared was enjoying his peppers, other second-graders seated around him said they too liked the peppers. Others said not so much.
Adrian Vanderpool liked the red the most, while seated next to him, Brysen Roberts said the red and the orange were his favorites. Orange was the preferred color for Davian Hall, also 7.
"The red ones are the best," Turner Robinson said matter-of-factly.
NW News on 09/13/2014