Did your student try any of the seasonal, local or organic produce served at school breakfast and lunch this December?
- Organic magenta dragon fruit (pitaya) grown in San Diego County (TK-5)
- Organic cara cara oranges grown in Temecula by Da Silva Farms (TK-12)
- Local Asian pears grown in Coachella Valley (TK-5)
- Local Persian cucumbers grown in Coachella Valley (TK-5)
- Local gala apples grown in Coachella Valley (6-12)
- Organic bananas (TK-12)
- Organic pink lady apples grown in Washington (6-12)
- Organic bell peppers grown in California (6-12)
- Organic spring mix (6-12)
- Organic Arkansas apples grown by Cuyama Orchards in the mountains of North Ventura (TK-5)
Have you heard of an Arkansas Apple? The skin color is dark like a plum, but it is sweet and crunchy like an apple. The Arkansas Apple was first grown in Arkansas in the 1870’s. It is a rare apple that gained popularity in the early 1900’s but almost disappeared after the Great Depression. Today the variety has been revived by growers such as Cuyama Orchards. Cuyama Orchards is a family farm nestled in a rugged mountainous corner of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. The orchards are surrounded by towering peaks and National Forest land. At 3300 feet in elevation, Cuyama Orchards enjoys the ideal microclimate for growing sweet, crunchy, juicy apples that are bursting with flavor. The warm days late into the fall along with cool crisp nights allow us to harvest our fruit with full flavor at the peak of ripeness.
We celebrated the holiday season at all elementary sites with a Holiday Feast for lunch on December 17. Lunch included Mary’s Roasted Chicken Drumstick, Hawaiian roll, and mashed potatoes. Mary’s Chicken Drumstick is a high quality chicken that is found in many restaurants! It was marinated and roasted with a house-made dry rub in our Central Kitchen. This item was cooked extra special and made with lots of love for our students.
In January, we will offer locally grown dates from Aziz Farms in Thermal. We are also excited to celebrate Lunar New Year!
- Elementary Schools: January 29: Make Your Own Steamed Bun with Teriyaki Chicken, Fortune Cookie.
- Middle Schools: Egg Rolls and Sweet Chili Sauce January 29, Fortune Cookies January 30, and Pot Stickers with Broccoli January 31.
- High Schools: Bahn Mi (chicken jalapeno meatballs, freshly baked baguette, house-made pickled vegetables) January 29-31 while supplies last.
For menus and more information, please visit the CUSD Food & Nutrition website capistrano.healtheliving.net and follow our Instagram page, CapoFood.