Food & Nutrition Services News
November 2017
Nourishing our students so they are ready to learn 
Dear TTUSD Families,
With the weather getting colder, we are offering delicious hot lunch options for our students, including our annual "Holiday Dinner" for lunch. This includes fresh-made, herb roasted turkey slices, with a whole grain maple biscuit, fresh broccoli, and creamy mashed potatoes. We plan to offer the "Holiday Dinner" at least three days during the winter months.

The winter season brings us delicious locally-grown kiwis and citrus, including juicy and sweet mandarins from Mandarin Hill Orchards in Penryn. We also have harvests from Shared Abundance Organic Farm located in Auburn, featuring succulent, ripe kiwis! We are extremely grateful for  Tahoe Food Hub's ability to broker with smaller, local farms and distribute to our school sites. Thank you Tahoe Food Hub! 

Sincerely,
Kat Soltanmorad, RDN
Director, Food & Nutrition Services
Food Service Heroes in the Spotlight
Ana Ruelas is the Cook at Kings Beach Elementary. She began working for our district back in November 1999 as her first job. Ana moved from Los Angeles to Kings Beach with her family, Rafael Ruelas and their two children, Rafael and Yesenia and both children went to school in North Tahoe and then on to college. 
 
Ana tells us that in a few words she can express that her work is fun, learning new things daily learning, and and it is soul fulfilling . What she likes most about working in the cafeteria is interacting with children and when they say to her: "Ana, I really liked the food!" She is very proud that the kids are happy with what she prepares and provides daily.
 
Ana shares that her success with children is achieved through dedication and being kind to all children, their parents and to all the people in general. She believes that it is important to put a lot of effort, dedication, and affection into what we do, and that is reflected in the quality of service, quality of food and the happiness of our students.
 
She says that if she had to quit her job she might like to work in a preschool or a nursery, but it must be something that is related to children. Ana has a lot of patience and really enjoys working with children.
 
Ana says that the Kings Beach students love the breakfast burrito and it gives them energy for the entire day. Thank you Ana for all you do for our students. You are our November Food Service Hero!
B-Fit: Bone Health
Did you know bone formation continues until about the age of 20?  If you want the strongest bones possible, t he best time to develop  peak bone mass  is right now-during your childhood and teenage years, before adulthood. Your bones need three major things to grow to their full peak mass: calcium, vitamin D, and physical activity.

Calcium  is vital for healthy bones. Between the ages of nine and 18, it is important to get 1,300 milligrams of calcium every day. These are the years when your bones are growing rapidly and need a lot of calcium to achieve their peak mass. You can get calcium from:
low-fat or fat-free dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt as well as 
vegetables like collards, turnip greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, mustard greens, and kale. There are also calcium-fortified foods including some orange juice, some cereals and bread, fortified soy beverages, and tofu.

Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium in the body. Vitamin D rich foods include tofu, egg yolks, fatty fish (tuna, mackerel, and salmon) and vitamin-fortified foods and beverages : nonfat/low-fat milk, orange juice, cereals and nut-based milk such as almond milk.

Physical activity helps living tissues like bones and muscles grow stronger. Be sure to get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day! Strength-building and weight-bearing activities are the best for building healthy bones. Walking, jogging, lifting weights, playing tennis, climbing stairs, jumping, and dancing are good examples.

Activities that are not weight-bearing include swimming and bicycling. While they help build and maintain strong muscles and have excellent benefits for your heart and circulation, they are not the best way to exercise your bones.
November's Harvest of the Month is Persimmons
10 fun facts about this immunity-boosting fruit:  
  • There are about 2,000 varieties of persimmons.
  • There are only two types of commercially available persimmons: Hachiya and Fuyu.
  • Persimmons are typically in season from September through December.
  • Fresh and dried persimmon leaves can be used to make tea.
  • Persimmons originated from China.
  • Persimmons belong to the berry family.
  • Persimmons first came to California in the 19th century.
  • It can take a persimmon tree up to seven years before it produces fruit and the tree can reach up to 70 feet tall.
  • Persimmons are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin B-6, as well as dietary fiber, manganese, copper, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorous.
  • The Hachiya persimmon resembles a miniature pumpkin. It's also the most widely available type and represents 90% of the persimmons sold. The remaining 10% are known as Fuyus and are similar in appearance to a squat, orange red tomato.
  • Persimmons can be eaten fresh, dried, raw, or cooked, which changes the flavor, but they are generally sweet and pulpy. You can add persimmon to a salad, salsa, yogurt, or even in breads.
For more information about the B-FIT and Harvest of the Month programs or to volunteer, please contact Gwen at Tahoe Forest Hospital at (530) 550-6730.