#FlikSoCheesy: Cheddar
While grilled cheese sandwiches are considered a staple on menus throughout the country, a trend shift has caused upscale, gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches to have taken over the menus at restaurants, diners and even food trucks. Not only are chefs offering their own unique takes on this classic, but this childhood favorite is taking center stage with creative new combinations.
We will be featuring one cheese per month along with a signature recipe – stay tuned for this month’s featured sandwich.
#FlikGrains: Amaranth
Our Healthy Foods Matter program is part of the Flik Independent School Dining annual programming around wellness. Each year, we focus on a particular food group or subgroup to encourage students to eat items from those groups more often – and to showcase how delicious fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans/legumes can be. The 2017-2018 will feature whole grains as part of delicious whole grain bowls.
Why Whole Grains? Whole grains contain all the essential parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed. All of the fiber, vitamins and minerals are present and intact. Refined grains are missing one or more of their three key parts, which means that about one-quarter of the protein and about one-half to two-thirds (or more!) of many nutrients are removed. Whole grains have a multitude of health benefits for the entire body. They promote heart and lung health and contribute to oral and digestive health. Furthermore, whole grains make us feel full and satisfied, which supports a healthy metabolism.
Be sure to check our online menu to find out when we’ll be featuring a build-your-own grain bowl station featuring this month’s grain: amaranth.
#Superfood: Tomatoes
Superfoods are foods that provide health benefits beyond their basic nutrient content. Typically seasonal, the monthly Superfood will be readily available and easy to incorporate into your meal. When possible, we display the Superfood in its raw form so that students can see what the food looks like before it’s cooked. This month, we’ll be featuring tomatoes throughout the dining hall. Packed with antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals – be sure to add more tomatoes to your plates!
What’s Local – Local produce is fresher, tastes better, supports our community and is better for the environment. The goal of our What’s Local program is to support the viability of the mid-sized American family farm and local communities by promoting local produce and creating awareness of its many benefits.
Tastings – Our Tastings program offers samples of nutritious foods in enticing ways. As we know, healthy eating is about balance and variety. While many children are interested in different kinds of foods and are willing to try new things, others are often averse to trying new foods. Ongoing encouragement to try a small amount of a new, healthy food or dish is key in acceptance (and enjoyment!) of this food. It can then be incorporated into the menu soon after the tasting and on an ongoing basis for students.
You can find all the details on our programming, our current menu, and additional nutrition resources on our school dining site:
www.myschooldining.com/MICDS
We’re also sharing local happenings on our social media sites, so be sure to follow us! @FlikISDining