When it comes to school nutrition, Little changes can mean big rewards. This is the message the USHBC delivered to 100 K-12 school nutrition managers as a sponsor of the Culinary Institute of America’s Healthy Flavors, Healthy Kids conference in May.

Conference activities, including recipe tastings, hands-on kitchen sessions, a panel discussion and a blueberry-themed dinner, all served to remind school influencers that blueberries are one easy way to help kids make healthier choices.

Attendees left with recipes and materials to help them educate their kitchen staffs and students, and some said they planned to use them immediately.

“I am looking for more savory breakfast items and this blueberry pizza would work great. I’m going to include it very soon,” said Marilyn Volden of Wisconsin’s Viroqua school district.

Cindy Lou Johnson of the Kansas State Department of Education plans to distribute blueberry promotional materials at culinary classes for 140+ representatives from across the state in June.

During the hands-on kitchen session, school chefs prepared a kid-friendly blueberry breakfast bake, berry baked apples and roasted turkey sandwiches with blueberry chutney. Chefs adapted each recipe to fit the specific needs of their schools, and served the final dishes to all 100 attendees as well as a panel of kid judges.

The kids’ favorite dish? The Berry Baked Apples!

Photo: Berry Baked Apples

USHBC