Today is School Lunch Hero Day and I am reminded how very fortunate I am to work with such a first class, talented and compassionate group of professionals! I learn through observation and while I'm often in the way, I love to watch you create, prepare and serve with impressive speed and precision. It's HARD work and I learn a LOT from you. The shear volume of meals you produce is mind boggling and all within just a short window of time. By all rights, you should be exhausted by serving time and yet, you deliver a caring, fun and healthy experience. You have my deepest respect and thanks for what you do for our students day in and day out. And, after today, it's clear you are loved by the students, staff and families you serve.
With gratitude,
Kathy
Did you know...
The average American eats about 1,996 pounds of food every year? That's nearly one ton!
Challenge Question:
A semi truck holds 40,000 lbs. The population of America is 333 million. How many semi trucks does it take to hold the annual amount of food eaten by Americans?
Scroll below for answer.
Always refer to the manufacturer's instructions for cooking products. It's important that you distinguish between instructions for a Conventional or Convection oven. Our kitchens use Convection Ovens and they cook faster at lower temperatures than Conventional Ovens. If the instructions are listed only for Conventional, you must reduce the temperature and cooking times by 25% if using a Convection Oven. See the example below.
Butterball's turkey tenderloins are fully roasted for thaw and serve applications. This recipe looks very promising and can be found in the new issue of Served Digizine in the digital resources below. We've used the concept of an "open" wrap before with our Burrito Bowl and it was successful. I can imagine changing the ingredients for a Thanksgiving Turkey Unwrap by swapping out the fresh veggies with stuffing and cranberry sauce. What other ideas can you think of?
Valparaiso High School
Fresh produce bars are filled with a variety of in season, beautiful choices and they are a huge hit. Fruit and veggie sides are through the roof. I noticed Omar walking by with a tray full of healthy choices, including hummus, and felt so proud to know students are eating the healthy food you prepare. Gorgeous work, Deli team!🤩
Central Elementary
For this week's Thank a Farmer Thursday tasting, Rachel magically turned local carrots into fries and they were gorgeous! Try a similar recipe below at home. With carrots, the natural sweetness intensifies as the sugars in the carrots caramelize, while the watery, earthy flavor dissipates in the oven. The previously crunchy carrots soften, but as they continue to bake and brown (and as the cornstarch does its job), they crisp up again on the outside while keeping a soft interior. When they're pulled from the oven, they look just like sweet potato fries, and they taste so much like them that you could definitely trick someone into believing they weren't carrots at all.
This year IDOE has rebranded our summer meal programs and is now referred to as "Sun Meals." You may have noticed the new information regarding "Sun Bucks" discussed here in Friday Focus. These are both programs to get healthy foods to children during the summer months when they do not have access to school meals. Again this year we will be serving free nutritious meals to our summer school students at Thomas Jefferson Elementary and Thomas Jefferson Middle School. We will also be open to the public at Thomas Jefferson Middle School only, between 7:00 - 7:30 am for breakfast and 1:00 - 1:30 pm for lunch. Any child 18 years or younger may visit this location to receive a free meal that must be consumed on site. We also will be offering free meals to the Boys & Girls Club campers all summer long! We are VERY excited for this community partnership and for our meals to reach even more of the children in our community! We had a WONDERFUL response for summer employees and I am looking forward to the weeks ahead!
Non-employees can apply by completing an online application as an External Applicant here: https://www.applitrack.com/valpo/onlineapp/
FS Tech, VHS, 6 hours
FS Tech, VHS, 6 hours
FS Tech, Heavilin, 4 hours
FS Tech, BF Middle, 4.5 hours
FS Tech, Central, 4 hours
All VCS employees, whether they have Anthem insurance or not, are eligible to use Immediate Care of St. Mary's Medical Center for non-life threatening emergencies. The visit is free for employees with Anthem insurance and $93 for employees without Anthem. Considering that the average ER visit in Indiana costs $1,618.00, this may be a good option for you and your family. Read more below and contact Haley Jones, Benefit Assistant at ext. 1136 if you have questions or need more information.
From Haley Jones, Benefits Assistant
Not feeling well and don't want to leave the comfort of your home?
LiveHealth Online is a great option. This service offers a $0 copay to all Anthem subscribers and covered dependents. Doctors are available 24/7 on your computer or mobile device. This is for non-emergency medical issues only.
Click HERE to create an account online or go directly through your Sydney App to access LiveHealth Online. (Please be sure to have your Member ID available.)
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.
219-531-3000 ext. 1136
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https://www.valpo.k12.in.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1221036&type=d&pREC_ID=1455849
About Us
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Email: kkane@valpo.k12.in.us
Website: https://www.valpo.k12.in.us/apps/pages/nutrition
Location: 2727 N. Campbell St., Valparaiso, IN 46385
Phone: (219) 531-3050
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValpoSchoolFood
Twitter: @ValpoSchoolFood