Secondary School Nutrition Scavenger Hunt Thank you for your interest in taking steps to a healthier 2012! It’s National Nutrition Month and we’ll be celebrating all month with a nutrition scavenger hunt in our school cafeterias! Join us for the fun and the learning and be sure to ask your child:

What was today’s nutrition message? What foods matched the clue? (Not applicable for Feb. 29 & March 30) What did you chose to eat for lunch that matched the clue? (Not applicable for

Feb. 29 & March 30.) To assist you with the conversations, the following is included for your reference:

1. Scavenger hunt ‘nutrition clues’. 2. Nutrition information to discuss the ‘answers’ to the daily clues with your

child. 3. The list of the foods that fit the clue. (These foods will be identified on the

serving lines with plastic medallions, so students will be able to hunt for them quickly.)

February 29 clue: Find the best resources in the cafeteria to get the answers to healthy eating.

More information: Always question your nutrition source. Make sure it is from a reputable source and is based on proven, science-based evidence that follows The Dietary Guidelines for Americans. (ChooseMyPlate.gov is an excellent source on-line.)

Today: The ChooseMyPlate poster will be displayed with the website information www.choosemyplate.gov

Today: The food service employees at your school are educated nutrition specialists. (Choose ‘MyTray’ at school!)

March 1 clue: Find an item on the serving line at lunch that provides carbohydrates. These foods provide you energy.

More information: Carbohydrates are nutrients found mostly in the fruit & grains groups. However, some vegetables, such as potatoes, corn and green peas also contain carbohydrates.

On today’s menus: Pizza crust, whole grain sliced bread, sub sandwich bun popcorn chicken (breading), sandwiches, dinner roll (in pre-made salads), potatoes, and all varieties of fruits.

March 2 clue: Find an item on the serving line at lunch that has Omega 3 fatty acids which helps your heart and brain.

More information: Fish, which is in the protein group, provides high levels of Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Choose seafood lower in mercury, such as salmon, trout, herring, sardines, “light” tuna, oysters, muscles, clams, calamari, etc. twice a week for healthier eating.

On today’s menus: Catfish

March 5 clue: Find an item on the serving line at lunch that is high in protein which helps build muscles.

More information: The protein group includes, meat, eggs, nuts, & beans (black, refried, kidney, navy, etc - does not include green beans). Other protein rich foods belong in the dairy group which includes, milk, cheese, & yogurt.

On today’s menus: Italian dunkers, chicken drummies, lite mini corn dogs, taco meat, refried beans, meat, cheese & eggs on salads, meat on sandwiches, peanut butter, sunflower seeds & milk. (Hot dogs, hamburgers & cheeseburgers at the HS.)

March 6 clue: : Find an item on the serving line at lunch that you would need to eat 3 cups of to get the same amount of calcium as 8 oz. of milk.

More information: Broccoli, as part of the vegetable group, is one of the few vegetables that provide calcium. However it takes 3 cups of broccoli to equal the calcium of 8 oz. of milk.

On today’s menus: Broccoli

March 7 clue: Find an item on the serving line at lunch that models the appropriate serving sizes recommended for healthy eating.

More information: Our school meals are designed according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. The portions that we serve to you are the appropriate serving sizes for the majority of students and meet the calorie and nutrient needs for healthy living. Make half your tray fruits and vegetables.

On today’s menus: Everything.

March 8 clue: Find an item on the serving line at lunch that is not just any vegetable, it provides high amounts of fiber and protein.

More information: Beans, as part of the protein group provide high fiber and protein. They are also part of the vegetable group. Vegetarians often meet their protein needs by eating a variety of these foods. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends eating plant protein foods in place of meat more often.

On today’s menus: Authentic red beans & rice

March 9 clue: Find an item on the serving line at lunch that is colorful and high in fiber. This item helps you feel full, and prevents some types of cancers.

More information: Beans not only provide high fiber and lots of protein, they can taste good too. Try adding legumes to your meals at home. Colorful fruits and vegetables also provide lots of fiber. Variety is the key for good health, so try to eat a rainbow of colorful fruits & vegetables every day.

On today’s menus: Confetti salad and assorted choices of fresh fruits and vegetables of the day.

March 19 clue: Find an item on the serving line at lunch that gives you strong bones and teeth.

More information: Calcium is the nutrient needed for strong bones and teeth. The best sources of calcium are found in the dairy group, which includes milk, cheese, & yogurt.

On today’s menus: Milk, cheese on salads, sandwiches and Italian dunkers. (Plus cheeseburgers at the HS)

March 20 clue: Find an item on the serving line at lunch that contains Vitamin C and helps your body fight off illness.

More information: Vitamin C is found in the fruit & vegetable groups. Foods High in Vitamin C Bell Peppers Broccoli Green or Red Cabbage Cantaloupe Cauliflower Kiwi Honeydew Onions Orange Pineapple Potato Radish Strawberries Tangerines Tomatoes

Watermelon Banana Carrot Celery Corn Cucumber Green Beans Nectarines Peaches On today’s menus: Coleslaw, steamed carrots, baked tri-tater, and other

items listed above that are served as fruit and vegetable choices. March 21 clue: Find an item on the serving line at lunch that contains hidden whole grains.

More information: Some foods don’t look like whole grains, but they are! Others look like they are whole grain and are not. Read the ingredients on food labels and watch for the word “whole” as the first ingredient. School menus also tell you if a food is ‘whole grain’, we checked the labels to be sure.

On today’s menus: Lite mini corn dogs (batter) & whole grain breads (on serving line and in sandwiches).

March 22 clue: Find an item on the serving line at lunch that will help you get to the recommended 3 servings per day.

More information: Choose at least 3 servings daily within the dairy group. This includes, milk, cheese, & yogurt. Switch to fat free and low fat.

On today’s menus: Milk, cheese on pizza, house-made macaroni & cheese, cheese on salads & sandwiches. (Cheeseburgers at the HS.)

March 23 clue: Find an item on the serving line at lunch that helps you see well in the dark and contains Vitamin A.

More information: Vitamin A rich foods are found mostly in the fruit & vegetable groups. Foods high in Vitamin A: Cabbage Cantaloupe Carrots Romaine Tomatoes Watermelon Milk Celery

On Today’s menu: Milk, spaghetti sauce & other items as listed above that

are served as the fruit & vegetable choices.

March 26 clue: Find an item on the serving line at lunch that contains whole grains and provides carbohydrates that give you lots of energy.

More information: The grains group is an important source of carbohydrates. Make half your grains whole.

On today’s menus: Whole grain pasta, rice medley, whole grain bread and buns (sandwiches and on the serving lines).

March 27 clue: Find an item on the serving line at lunch that satisfies your sweet tooth.

More information: All fruits are naturally sweet and make a great end to any meal. They also provide fiber and are rich in nutrients. When you crave something sweet between meals, fruit makes a great snack too!

On today’s menus: All fruits

March 28 clue: Find an item on the serving line at lunch that contains iron which helps build and replenish your blood supply.

More information: Red meat is the most common source of iron. Other meats, legumes, spinach, & raisins can also be a good source.

o Did you know that eating foods high in vitamin C, with iron-rich foods actually helps your body absorb more iron?

On today’s menus: Spaghetti sauce with meat, chicken nuggets, and whole grain corn dog. (Hamburgers & cheeseburgers at the HS.)

March 29 clue: Find an item on the serving line at lunch that gives you calcium, Vitamin A&D in one serving.

More information: Calcium, Vitamin A&D are found in milk. While certain brands of other foods in the dairy group may fit this category as well, milk will always have all three. Switch to fat free and low fat.

On today’s menus: All varieties of milk (Fat free, 1%, & flavored skim).

March 30 clue: Find a great place to build a healthy plate with nutritious treasures every day.

The fantastic serving lines in our school are filled with the nutritious, delicious foods every day. Our customers can easily follow the MyPlate guidelines while filling MyTray. Encourage your child to choose fruits & vegetables every day, the goal is to fill HALF their tray with those foods!