October is 'Farm to School' month

ST. LOUIS, Missouri - The National School Lunch program started over 70 years ago and today schools serve lunches to 30 million students each day, which amounts to nearly 5 billion lunches every year.

In the early 1990s, schools launched the Farm to School movement, using local foods in school meals, planting edible school gardens, and teaching students where their food comes from. October marks Farm to School month, a time to celebrate the connection between children and local food.

When schools participate in the Farm to School program, everyone benefits - kids, farmers, and local communities. KIDS: Farm to School provides children access to nutritious, local food and educational activities related to food, health, agriculture, and nutrition.

For farmers, "Farm to School" is a significant financial opportunity for farmers and food processors to tap into the school nutrition market. For communities, it provides opportunities to build family and community engagement. Buying from local producers and processors creates jobs and strengthens the local economy.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) supports and encourages the purchase of local foods. The definition of "local" varies from district to district. Many programs define local as within a certain number of miles from the school, or within the county, state, or even neighboring states. Some operators use different definitions of local depending on the product or season.

Local foods can span the school meal tray and include everything from fruit and vegetables, wheat in pizza crust, beans in chili, rice in stir-fry, turkey in sandwiches, and cheese in quesadillas. Local buying can happen with all types of producers including farmers, ranchers, and fishermen, as well as other food businesses, like food processors, manufacturers, and distributors.

One local food that has been a part of the lunch tray for years is milk.

In fact, it takes just two days for milk to get from the cow to the carton. "Some students are surprised to learn that the milk on their tray almost always comes from a local farm," states Kelsey Bentlage, a registered dietitian with St. Louis District Dairy Council. "When they find out, they immediately want to visit the farm to meet the cows and the farmer!"

Dairy farmers are committed to providing wholesome safe products for schools to offer as a part of a fresh and balanced breakfast, lunch, or snack.

Recipes

<h3 class="breakHead">Pumpkin Cheese Ball</h3>

This pumpkin shaped cheese ball will add a festive flair to your Halloween spread. Just mix together cheese, cream cheese and spices, shape and serve!

Serves 16

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

16 ounces Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (8 ounce) container of chive and onion cream cheese

2 tsp. paprika

½ tsp. ground red pepper

1 bell pepper

Whole grain crackers

Instructions

1. Mix cheese, cream cheeses, and spices in a bowl until blended. Cover and chill for 4 hours or until mixture is firm enough to be shaped.

2. Shape mixture into a ball to resemble a pumpkin.

3. Cut top of bell pepper and press into top of pumpkin cheese ball to resemble a stem.

4. Serve with whole grain crackers.

Nutrition: Calories 213, Fat 19 g, Pro 9 g, DV Calcium 17%

<h3 class="breakHead">Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup</h3>

This warm, cheesy soup is perfect for a cool fall evening. The best part - it's super simple to prepare in your slow cooker.

Serves 6

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 can (10 ounces) red enchilada sauce

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 can (15 ounces) chili beans in mild chili sauce

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained

1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup chicken stock or chicken broth

1 packet low sodium taco seasoning

1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened

Toppings: sour cream (or plain nonfat Greek yogurt), shredded cheese, lime wedges, avocado, fresh cilantro, tortilla strips

Instructions

1. In a large slow cooker, add enchilada sauce, undrained tomatoes and chilies, undrained chili beans, drained and rinsed black beans, drained corn, uncooked chicken breasts, chicken stock, and taco seasoning. Stir.

2. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Chicken should shred easily with a fork.

3. Remove the chicken and shred using two forks.

4. Cube the cream cheese and put it in the crockpot. Stir well and cover.

5. Add the shredded chicken back into the crockpot. Stir and cover. Cook on high until all cream cheese is melted.

6. Serve with toppings.

Nutrition: Calories 444, Fat 20 g, Pro 34 g, DV Calcium 8%