Healthy Lunchtime Challenge - Hurry recipes due April 4th!!!!!

The 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge is Here!

Posted by Kelly Miterko, Deputy Director, Let's Move! on February 22, 2016

It’s that time of year again – we’re inviting kids across the country to create healthy lunch recipes for a chance to win a trip to Washington, DC and the opportunity to attend the Kids’ “State Dinner” at the White House!

Check out a special message from First Lady Michelle Obama announcing the fifth annual Healthy Lunchtime Challenge:

The First Lady is once again teaming up with PBS flagship station WGBH Boston, the U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to host the fifth annual Healthy Lunchtime Challenge to promote cooking and healthy eating among young people across the nation.

The challenge invites kids ages 8-12, in collaboration with a parent or guardian, to create an original recipe that is healthy, affordable, and delicious. One winner from each U.S. state, territory, and the District of Columbia will win the opportunity to be flown to Washington, DC and the opportunity to attend the 2016 Kids’ “State Dinner” here at the White House, where a selection of the winning recipes will be served. Kids will also have the opportunity to learn from television personality and member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition Rachael Ray.

Check out USDA’s MyPlate to ensure your child’s recipe meets the nutrition guidelines by representing each of the food groups, either in one dish or as parts of a lunch meal, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy. In addition, in celebration of theMyPlate, MyState initiative, the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge is putting a spotlight on homegrown pride across the country and encouraging entries to include local ingredients grown in your family’s state, territory, or community.

We can’t wait to see what kids create this year – so good luck and get cooking! Don’t forget to submit by April 4!

Learn more:

• Visit pbs.org/lunchtimechallenge for more details on this year’s Healthy Lunchtime Challenge.
• Check out last year’s winning recipes for inspiration and to try them at home.
• Take a look at our favorite moments from the 2015 Kids’ “State Dinner.”

Oh Fudge!

No, I really mean Ohhhhhhh Fudge! June 16th is National Fudge Day!!!!!! Okay, maybe I should have said Mmmmmm Fudge, well either way, what a day to celebrate! While the origins of fudge are disputed (check out the websites) most histories agree it was an American invention, and what an invention! So go out and enjoy an American invention! Check out these websites for Fudge history and even some recipes! http://woodstockcandy.com/history-of-fudge.html, www.bbgees.com/History_of_Fudge_Explained.html, http://www.heavenlyfudge.net/THE-HISTORY-OF-FUDGE.html, and www.punchbowl.com/holidays.fudge-day.

Everybody Cooks Rice by Norah Dooley event on Saturday, December 11th from 9:30 am to 12 pm

Everyone eats rice, no seriously, everybody does! Come join the latest offering in the "Raising a Reader" series as we invite families to the State Education Resource Center (SERC), if you could not guess considering you are at the SERC Library blog, meet the staff of CT Parent Information and Resource Center (CT PIRC), the Early Childhood Resource Center, and the, yes you guessed it the SERC Library staff to eat rice and play with rice ----- no seriously ----to READ the book Everybody cooks rice by award-winning children's author Norah Dooley, create some crafts and play games related to the story ----- sample different kinds of rice -----yummy! ----- decorate rice cakes and rice treats! You can take home a recipe box, designed by you and filled with rice recipes -----please bring your favorite rice recipe to share with others ---- directions and materials to replicate activities at home and a copy of Everybody cooks rice! To register for this yummy learning event to be held on Saturday, December 11th from 9:30 am to 12 pm, please contact Suequanna Lewis, Project Assistant at 860.632.1485 x 288 or lewis@ctserc.org. Space fills up fast so get going and register by Friday, November 26th so you won't miss all the rice, I mean fun!

National School Lunch Week

October 11 - 15, 2010 is National School Lunch Week!

Yes, there is an organization for this celebration --- www.schoolnutrition.org/ and yes, there are some ---- get ready ----free resources to help celebrate this week! There are even recipes----I know, school lunch recipes -- are you daft -- who would want school lunch recipes, so apparently you have not been reading previous posts? If so, you would by now recognize the themes here!

Okay, back to National School Lunch Week, in addition to activities check out their catalog --- I love the teddy bear (cute grin, watch out about making eye contact) but the shirt with "Ketchup is not a vegetable" ---- what is up with that----notice it is not listed for sale----listing goes from D to F but no E for the shirt (they either got some nasty emails or sold out--I'm going with sold out!). Check out the pins, love the veggie and fruit characters 26-27!

Happy School Lunch Week!