School Foodservice
School Foodservice Directors WIN With
Healthy California Strawberries
California Strawberry Commission Awards School Foodservice Directors
Top Prizes in Healthy Recipe Contest
In an effort to reward school foodservice directors who incorporate new, healthy and tasty options in their menus, the California Strawberry Commission awarded $3,000 in cash prizes to schools as part of a healthy recipes contest. School foodservice directors from across the country entered their healthy recipes to be judged on nutritional value, taste, presentation, and incorporation of California strawberries.
Pat Bangsund, along with her colleague Pat Tonsager, of Lakeview Elementary School (MN), developed the grand prize winning recipe for “Sweet as the Sun Smoothies” – a recipe that meets the requirement for daily servings by combining an assortment of commodity products including frozen strawberries, pineapple chunks, peaches, pears and yogurt. In addition to snatching the $1,000 grand prize, the smoothie also won the best snack entry—and earned an additional $500 for the school. Prizes were also awarded in the breakfast, lunch and dessert categories.
In addition to being much loved, California strawberries are extremely nutritional – they’re loaded with antioxidants, vitamin C, folate and dietary fiber, are naturally low in calories and fat and are a great source of potassium. Strawberries are a primary part of a healthy diet, which may just be the extra edge a body needs to live and age well.
Winning Recipes:
SWEET AS THE SUN SMOOTHIES
Winner – Grand Prize, Best Snack Category
Yield: 24 servings
Portion size: 2/3 cup
| Ingredients | Measures |
| Frozen sliced sweetened California strawberries | 3 pounds |
| Canned pineapple chunks in unsweetened
pineapple juice |
1 pound, 5 ounces |
| Canned sliced peaches in light syrup | 1 pound, 5 ounces |
| Canned sliced pears in light syrup | 1 pound, 5 ounces |
| Non-fat vanilla yogurt | 2 pounds |
Method: In blender jar, combine all the fruit, undrained. Blend until smooth. Add yogurt and blend.
Recipe created by Pat Bangsund and Pat Tonsager, Lakeview Elementary School, Lakeville, MN
Nutrition Information Per Serving: 123 calories; 1 g fat; 1 mg cholesterol; 25 mg sodium; 31 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 2 g protein; 1% calories from fat
STRAWBERRY BREAKFAST PARFAIT
Winner – Best Breakfast Category
Yield: 48 servings
| Ingredients | Measures |
| Graham cracker cereal | 18 cups |
| Non-fat vanilla yogurt | 24 cups |
| California strawberries, stemmed and sliced | 4 pounds |
| Mint sprigs | 48 each |
Method: In each of 24 plastic cups, layer 3 tablespoons cereal, 1/4 cup yogurt and 1/8 cup strawberries. Repeat layers. Top with 1 mint sprig.
Recipe created by Diane Bevins, Moton Elementary School, Hampton, VA
Nutrition Information Per Serving: 209 calories; 1 g fat; 2 mg cholesterol; 328 mg sodium; 44 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 7 g protein; 6% calories from fat
STRAWBERRY TOASTED ANGELS
Winner – Best Dessert Category
Yield: 48 servings
| Ingredients | Measures |
| Angel food cake mix | 2 (16-ounce) boxes |
| Cooking spray | As needed |
| Frozen sliced sweetened Californiastrawberries, thawed | 6 pounds |
| Toasted coconut | 1 pound |
| Low-fat frozen whipped topping | 8 ounces |
Method:
1. Heat oven to 350 Degrees Farenheight. Prepare cake mix according to directions. Pour batter into 2 (12- x 18-inch) sheet pans sprayed with cooking spray. Bake on middle shelf of oven 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool in pan.
2. Cut each pan into 48 (2- x 3-inch) squares. Place 2 squares side by side in bottom of 8-ounce soufflé cup or bowl: top with 1/4 cup strawberries. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon coconut; top with 1 teaspoon whipped topping. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 48 servings.
Recipe created by Kathleen Kane, Office of Food Services, Michigan City, IN
Nutrition Information Per Serving: 196 calories; 5 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 117 mg sodium; 37 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 3 g protein; 22% calories from fat
STRAWBERRY SQUARES
Winner – Best Lunch Category
Yield: 48 servings
| Ingredients | Measures |
| Strawberry gelatin dessert mix | 5 (6-ounce) packages |
| Frozen sliced sweetened California strawberries, thawed | 6 pounds, 4 ounces |
| Canned crushed pineapple in unsweetened pineapple juice, drained | 6pounds, 4 ounces |
| Bananas, mashed | 3 pounds |
| Pecans, roughly chopped | 1 pound, 4 ounces |
| Non-fat sour cream | 2 pounds, 8 ounces |
| California strawberries, stemmed and halved | 24 each |
Method:
1. Dissolve gelatin dessert mix in 7 1/2 cups boiling water. Mix in thawed strawberries, pineapple, bananas and pecans. Pour half of gelatin mixture into a 24- x 18-inch rectangular pan. Refrigerate until firm.
2. Spread with half of sour cream; pour remaining gelatin mixture on top. Refrigerate until firm; spread with remaining sour cream. Cut into 48 (3- x 3-inch) squares. Top each square with 1 strawberry half.
Recipe created by Mary Ver Haagh, DePere Middle School, DePere, WI
Nutrition Information Per Serving: 224 calories; 7 g fat; 2 mg cholesterol; 47 mg sodium; 41 g carbohydrates; 3 g fiber; 3 g protein; 27% calories from fat
School Food for Thought
A recent USDA pilot program showed that increased consumption of fruits and vegetables – including strawberries – improved attention spans, resulted in fewer disciplinary problems, reduced the consumption of unhealthy snacks and even improved test scores In this same study, children rated strawberries as their favorite fruit.
With the pressure on to improve the nutritional value of meals in schools, a solution for satisfying this challenge and kids’ preference for sweets is to include California strawberries more often in recipes or alone – with breakfast, lunch or as a snack.
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