NOVEMBER NUTRITION NEWSLETTER

November 03rd, 2022

New Winter Menu Starts November 7, 2022

NEW WINTER MENU STARTS 11/7

Our new Winter menu launches on November 7th! Click here to see the full menu.

 

Our team has been hard at work designing a menu that introduces several brand–new entrees as well as bringing back some favorites from past years.

 

As always, every meal is offered with a variety of fresh, seasonal fruits and veggies, including many from local, California-based farms (there’s more below about our fantastic friends at nearby Stehly Farms Organics). Here’s a sneak preview of some of the menu highlights.

 

NEW ENTREES
Among the entrees for Winter are these brand-new additions to our menu:

 

Fiesta Taco Bar entreeFiesta Taco Bar: Build your own taco with a variety of options. Start with a bed of tortilla chips from nearby Esperanza’s Tortilleria in Escondido. Add fresh, savory chicken, and then choose from a variety of toppings including shredded cheddar cheese, lettuce, diced tomatoes, and our other seasonal veggies.

 

 

Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Texas ToastBroccoli Cheddar Soup with Texas Toast: What better winter meal than a hearty bowl of broccoli cheddar soup to fill a belly and fuel learning? Add a generous serving of Texas Toast and round your meal off with fresh fruits & veggies and you’ll be full-bellied and ready to learn.

 

 

 

Marinara Lasagna RollupMarinara Lasagna Rollup: Everything you love about lasagna – tender pasta, zesty marinara sauce, and savory ricotta cheese, all in a rollup format that delivers all of the Italian flavor lasagna offers. Choose from the freshest produce on the side and you’re ready to go!

 

 

 

RETURNING FAVORITES & NEW TWISTS
It wouldn’t be a WaveCrest Cafe menu if we didn’t bring back some perennial favorite entrees for a new menu season. Not only that, but we’re bringing new versions of other long-time favorites. Among those items are:

 

Teriyaki Chicken Rice BowlTeriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl: Tender and filling chicken is topped with a tasty teriyaki sauce and served with a bed of rice to capture even more of the flavors. Load this dish up with fresh veggies and add fruit on the side for a sweet treat and you’ve got a meal fit for our scholars.

 

 

 

Hot & Spicy Chicken Tenders with Texas ToastHot & Spicy Chicken Tenders with Texas Toast: Our middle and high schoolers like to bring the spice, and these tenders are just what they ordered. Hot & Spicy with tons of taste. Add Texas Toast and our seasonal fruits and veggies for a bold and flavorful meal.

 

 

 

Bean and cheese burritoBean & Cheese Burrito: We’ve changed up our burrito to bring a new version of this longtime staple. While it works as a vegetarian option, this flavor-packed burrito is not limited to that. Perfect for winter… or anytime.

 

 

 

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.

 


 

TAKE OUR FALL MENU SURVEY

Fall 2022 Menu Survey
We love your feedback. Please take a few minutes and participate in our Fall 2022 Survey. This anonymous form lets you provide feedback, ideas, and suggestions for how we’re doing in serving our Vista Unified Community. 

 

• For the elementary school survey, click here
• For the middle and high school survey, click here 

*** If you have children in multiple grade levels, feel free to make a note of that in the feedback section of either survey.

 

Whether you are a student, staff, parent, or family member, these surveys provide us with valuable information to help us continually improve our process. From the popularity of different entrees to understanding how we are serving our community, your participation is important.

 

Thank you for taking part in this process and letting us hear from you.


 

WANT A JOB WITH PURPOSE? WE’RE HIRING!

 

If you’re looking for a job that lets you have fun and make a difference in the community, we’ve got one for you! With hours that don’t conflict with kids’ school schedules and a fantastic team of co-workers, WaveCrest Cafe may be just what you’re looking for. Work with a fantastic group of people and amazing students while fulfilling our mission to serve the best school meals.

 

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/

 

 


HARVEST OF THE MONTH
FEATURED FOOD: PERSIMMONS

 

November’s featured food in our Harvest of the Month program is the persimmon. This one is full of surprises, as it isn’t always familiar to many of our students and staff. Let us tell you, you’re in for a treat with this amazing fruit, packed full of flavor and fun.

 

Persimmons are originally from China, and some species made their way to Japan, where it is the national fruit of Japan. Today, almost all persimmons in the United States are grown in California, making it a fantastic way to support our local and state-wide farmers. 

 

Persimmons are a fantastic source of vitamins A and C, as well as fiber, lycopene, beta-carotene, and other antioxidants that help to boost the immune system. A ripe persimmon has a mild, sweet taste that some have said is similar to honey. The inside fruit texture is close to that of an apricot, and the skin is similar to an apple.

 

Secret tip: you can eat the skin of persimmon, and combined with the sweet fruit inside it’s like a natural version of a Sweet Tart.

 

 

Student holding a persimmon in outstretched handPersimmon Facts

• Fresno and Tulare counties in California produce 53 percent of all of California’s persimmons.

• San Diego, Orange, and Riverside counties are also major producers of persimmon in California.

• The Hachiya variety was the most popular persimmon for the first half of the 20th century but has been replaced by the Fuyu variety in the years since.

• Some varieties of persimmon can be ripened faster by putting them in a paper bag with apples or bananas.

 

Student eating a persimmonLearn more about persimmons, and discover how delicious they are. You can download our Harvest of the Month resources for families here

 

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 Scarlett Smith.

 


 

No Cost for School Meals This Year!

No cost school meals banner

We are thrilled to announce that there will be no cost for school meals in this 2022-23 school year. What’s more, there is no paperwork required for anyone, making meals not just available at no cost, but accessible for all. 

 

Not only can families save plenty of money on food, but with meals ready at school, you’ll have more time to spend together as a family! As always, we are committed to serving fresh, healthy, delicious meals, and working with as many local and California-based farms as possible.

 

Join us for breakfast and lunch daily. Good nutrition leads to better learning, and we are here to serve up tasty and nutritious meals to power learning all year long.


*** 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.


FEATURED FARMER: STEHLY FARMS ORGANICS

 

Strawberries from Stehly Farms OrganicsWe’re thrilled to have added foods from Stehly Farms Organics to our mix this year. This farm, based in nearby Valley Center, is the latest local grower to join our Farm To School push to bring more locally-sourced foods to our students and staff.

 

Stehly Farms Organics is currently providing WaveCrest Cafe with Valencia oranges, with future plans to feature avocados, blackberries, limes, mandarins, strawberries, and tangerines.

 

For brothers Noel and Jerome Stehly, farming is in their blood, and they are passionate about their work and raising the profile of farmers, especially here in San Diego County.

 

As for what it means to Noel and his family to have area schools serve the food they grow? “Just the ability to get kids to eat healthy food makes a difference in their lives. A lot of kids aren’t doing that.”

 

Read our full story about Stehly Farms Organics here. We’re certain you’ll be thrilled to learn more about the amazing, locally grown, organic foods available from WaveCrest Cafe.



FARMERS’ MARKETS RETURN!

students at a farmers market

 

October 26th & 27th saw the return of our friends from Food 4 Thought to host Farmers Market events at Empresa, Alamosa, Breeze Hill, and Maryland Elementary. Students learned about where much of the food served at school each day comes from, including stories about some of the farmers and their families.

 

After learning more about their food, students were able to pick their own fresh, seasonal, California-grown fruits and vegetables. Most of the produce was so fresh it was picked just a few days prior!

 

Each student received a voucher and was able to “buy” fruits and vegetables from the selection provided at the market. Each type of food had a price and students used their math and budgeting skills to purchase their produce (without having money left over or selecting too much). 


The presentation also gave students an opportunity to answer trivia about nutrition and win extra produce like broccoli, cabbage, apples, or others as a prize. The events were fun, high-energy activities that students loved. 

 

Click here to see pictures from Farmers’ Market events.


 

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) 2022 WaveCrest Cafe / Vista Unified School District
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Esta institución es un proveedor de igualdad de oportunidades.