February 2024 Nutrition Newsletter
February 01st, 2024
FEBRUARY 2024 WAVECREST CAFE
NUTRITION NEWSLETTER
In this issue:
• Farm 2 School Spotlight: Sunrise Kiwi
• Menu Spotlight: Chicken Tenders, Regular + Hot & Spicy
• Staff Spotlight: Randi Rudolph
• Harvest Of The Month: Kiwi
• Job & career opportunities
Farm 2 School Spotlight:
Sunrise Kiwi, Gridley, CA
We’d like to spotlight the farm that is providing kiwis for this month’s Harvest of the Month: Sunrise Kiwi. Located in the Northern California town of Gridley, Sunrise Kiwi is owned and operated by Jasbir Kullar, who migrated to the United States during the mid-1970s. Jasbir spent most of his first 15 years in the US as a migrant farm worker before settling in Northern California.
In 1990, he leased an abandoned 4-acre kiwifruit vineyard in Sutter County and quickly developed a passion for the fruit. Jasbir and his family have seen tremendous growth in the 30+ years they have owned and built the farm. Of particular pride is the fact that some employees have been with the farm since 1990. Not only that, but Jasbir’s son, Jatinder, is also an integral part of the operation, bringing new perspectives and ideas to the family business.
In 1999, Jasbir decided to take on his own packing and cold storage operation, forming Sunrise Kiwi Packing. Today, Sunrise Kiwi Packing is one of the largest kiwifruit handlers in Northern California and Jasbir has become one of the largest growers in the state. In addition to kiwis, Jasbir has steadily diversified the family farm and also grows almonds and english walnuts.
We are thrilled to offer Sunrise Kiwi to our students, delivering fresh, nutrient-packed fruit to our students and supporting our vibrant California agriculture community.
Meet Our Team: Randi Rudolph
Randi Rudolph, our Lead at Rancho Buena Vista High School, loves seeing happy students ready to eat. Her team does an amazing job preparing and serving lots of meals in a short time for students ready to eat.
Part of what enables her team to do this every day is making sure that students know what’s being served.
“We have the picture menu displayed and we also post signs with any menu updates on the windows for the kids to see. We have signs to let them know when it’s almost time for a new menu cycle to start as well. The menu is posted at every set of windows everyday so the students can easily see their options.”
Randi and her team are also sure to greet students with friendliness and cheer that make mealtimes enjoyable and relatable. Several students have made a habit of inviting the team to their school performances, a testament to the connections made at mealtimes.
We’re grateful for Randi and her leadership. Get to know a little more about her here:
Favorite Concert: Lauryn Hill… it was amazing!
Pancakes or Waffles? Pancakes
If I could play any sport it would be: Boxing
A skill I would like to acquire: I really like to take pictures and videos so it would be nice to have a little more skill with picture/video creation and editing.
My dream vacation: Mediterranean cruise
Favorite Candy: Now & Laters
Favorite WaveCrest Entree: Bean & Cheese Pupusa
Favorite thing about working at WaveCrest Cafe? Seeing the students happy to come eat our meals!
Harvest of the Month: Kiwi
February’s featured food in our Harvest of the Month program is the Kiwi, and we couldn’t be more excited to have our students learn more about the vibrant, delicious, and fun fruit.
Kiwi is originally from China but found its way to New Zealand in the early 20th century. As it grew in popularity New Zealand began to export the fruit and named it after the country’s national bird, the kiwi. While there are over 400 varieties of kiwis, the Hayward variety is the most popular and comprises most of the sales in the US.
Kiwis are classified as berries and they are a nutrient-dense food, packed with vitamins C and K. Kiwis are also a great source of fiber, potassium, folate, and beta-carotene. Its tangy flavor is often compared to strawberries, though it has its own unique taste. Peeling away the furry brown skin reveals the vibrant green fruit inside. Kiwis are great on their own, in a salad, on cereal, or in many other ways.
Kiwi Facts
• Kiwis grow on a vine that can be as tall as 30 feet.
• Kiwi skin is edible, so you can try to eat it just like an apple.
• California is the only US state that produces kiwis commercially for the US.
• California kiwis account for 95 percent of all kiwis grown in the United States.
• Kiwis contain an enzyme that acts as a natural meat tenderizer.
Harvest of the Month Resources
Learn more about Kiwi with your class during a Harvest of the Month activity. You can download our Harvest of the Month resources for families here.
Harvest of the Month is available for any classroom that wants to participate. If your child’s teacher wants to sign up for the program, it’s easy. For more information about the program, classroom tasting parties, and more, email Gabi Tinsley.
Menu Spotlight: Chicken Tenders – Regular & Spicy
Crispy, Juicy Chicken Tenders: Student diners at our elementary schools love Chicken Tenders day. A generous portion of white meat chicken is lightly breaded so that it is crispy on the outside and tender and juicy inside. These tenders are an annual favorite.
Hot & Spicy Chicken Tenders with Texas Toast: Our middle and high schoolers have asked for spicy options and these tenders are just what they ordered. White meat chicken with a spicy, crispy outside delivers taste galore to power our students through a day of learning. Middle and High Schoolers also enjoy a side portion of tasty Texas Toast with their tenders.
No matter the grade level our meals are always served with a delicious selection of fresh seasonal fruits and veggies (mostly from local, California farms) for a bold and flavorful meal.
Be sure to check your school’s menu for the full selection of items and your daily favorites.
*** Menus are subject to change based on ingredient availability and staffing needs.
WE’RE HIRING!
JOIN OUR AMAZING TEAM.
School nutrition is an extremely rewarding job. You can be part of the nation’s largest restaurant group, serving tasty and nutritious meals to our children each and every day. What’s more, you’ll meet amazing people who are skilled, dedicated, and passionate about their roles.
Our team has the unique opportunity to interact with almost every student, every day. Those interactions make a big difference in our kids’ lives and lead to long-lasting and meaningful friendships.
See all of our available positions here: https://wavecrestcafe.com/employment-opportunities/
NO COST FOR SCHOOL MEALS THIS YEAR!
California is one of seven states across the country that has made school meals available at no cost to all students! In addition to providing fresh, healthy, delicious foods to our students, there is no paperwork required.
*** With meals being offered at no charge, we are anticipating more students will be dining with us. This may affect the availability of some entrees as we learn and adapt to greater numbers and meeting the demand.
RESOURCES, GRANTS, AND EVENTS
Request A Master Gardener For Your School
The San Diego County Master Gardener Association provides Master Gardeners to help schools set up and maintain gardens. Master Gardeners act as consultants, mentoring parents and teachers who request help with beginning or improving their school gardens. Request a garden consultant here.
Educational Garden Design Grant – Rolling Dates
The California Native Garden Foundation offers grants for school gardens that feature CA native plants. Types of support include garden design services, in-kind donations of plants and landscape materials, volunteer assistance, and direct financial assistance. Click here to learn more and to apply.
Solana Center Workshops – Rolling Dates
The Solana Center hosts a variety of workshops and lessons across San Diego County, with topics including composting, raising backyard chickens, green living, and water-wise gardening. Check out their events calendar here.
Bonnie’s Plants 3rd Grade Cabbage Program – Rolling Dates
Bonnie’s provides free mega-cabbage plants to 3rd-grade teachers across the US who want to participate. Students grow the cabbages and submit pictures and measurements of their harvest to be considered for a $1,000 scholarship. Find out how to participate here.
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(C) 2023 WaveCrest Cafe / Vista Unified School District
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Esta institución es un proveedor de igualdad de oportunidades.