31 Days of #RealSchoolFood: Fruitastic Santas for #Christmas

Posted on December 23, 2014 by schoolmealsthatrock

Tomorrow night is Santa’s time to shine – and I totally agree with milk and cookies as the preferred snack of bearded men who drop down chimneys. However, I also think that sometime you need some fruit to go with your cookies and milk. With that in mind, here are two Fruitastic Santa Snacks – and a veggie one too, just for good measure.

These Strawberry Santa Snacks are super easy – and you still have time to buy the three ingredients you need: berries, cream cheese (or substitute whipped cream) and mini-chocolate chips. These are so sweet that Santa may just need a glass of ice cold milk with them.

Fruitastic Strawberry Santas

These clever Santa Poppers have three more ingredients: Bananas, marshmallows and red candies. That’s a little more sugar – but also perfect with a tall refreshing glass of ice cold milk. Step-step-by-step instructions are available at the link above – and you get to eat all the extra fruit pieces while you are making them!

Strawberry-Banana Santas

And, because I could not resist, how about some Tomato-Goat Cheese Santas? The recipe link calls for some brand name cheeses, but I am guessing your favorite soft cheese combination would work just as well. I would definitely make these if I hadn’t already committed to a ‘pine cone’ cheese ball made with almonds. So many cheesy appetizer opportunities, so little time!

Tomato and Goat Cheese Santas

31 Days of #RealSchoolFood: What Makes Fantastic #FoodArt?

Posted on December 20, 2014 by schoolmealsthatrock

If you like fun food and spend any time on Pinterest or even Facebook (especially on school lunch bento box pages), you may have already over-dosed on holiday cuteness. I myself have blogged about #RealSchoolFood art here twice – using actual school photos on Days 7 and 18. So why talk about it again? Like with many Christmas things gone awry, I’d like to blame it in the Grinch – specifically THIS Grinch, shared recently by Chartwells K12 on their Facebook page.

Fruit and Veggie Grinch, Cadillac Area Public Schools, Michigan

After just a few hours, it is already one of School Meals That Rock’s most liked photos – and the question is WHY? What makes #FoodArt FANTASTIC? I’d like to suggest three factors – and I’d love to hear your thoughts as well.

#1. Recognition: This is very clearly the Grinch – in color and expression. In the same way, there is no doubt that this creature from the #FoodArt celebrities in Provo School District (UT) is a snowman.

Mushroom Snowman, Dixon Middle School, Provo, Utah

#2. Serendipity: The red pepper on the produce Grinch looks amazingly like the hat that Dr. Seuss originally drew for How The Grinch Stole Christmas. The mushrooms on the snowman really look like snow balls – while broccoli and cauliflower really make perfect poodles (one of the School Meals That Rock previous record-breaking posts).

Cauliflower and Broccoli Poodles

#3. Simplicity: Perhaps the most important attribute of FANTASTIC #FoodArt is that it is simple – it looks like some thing we could actually make with the implements we have available. The Grinch, snowman and poodles all look pretty easy – almost like why didn’t think of that? These Angry Birds are another example of made simple – real simple.

Pineapple-Watermelon Angry Birds

Want more ideas for simple, serendipitous, recognizable food art? Please check our School Meals That Rock on Pinterest – or scroll through the photos School Meals That Rock’s Facebook page. Our friends from Provo, Utah, are a great resource on Facebook and Pinterest – or just use your friendly search engine. Type is something like strawberry hearts and you will find thousands – if not millions – of ideas.

31 Days of #RealSchoolFood: Holiday Fruits and Veggies = FUN

Posted on December 18, 2014 by schoolmealsthatrock

Social media has been full of holiday food art. Even ChooseMyPlate.gov got into the act with a very fun snowman sandwich on popcorn snow next to a pea pod tree. While there’s plenty of cute Christmas sweets and treats floating around out there, I’m personally most impressed with the already-very-busy ‘lunch ladies’ and food dudes who go out of their way (maybe on their own time) to make fruits and vegetables special for children. This wonderful winter scene came from Maureen Williams Voll, at Saint Patrick School, Terre Haute, Indiana. I know that Maureen struggles to find even a few minutes for art, so this is all the more impressive: “A little holiday food art before we head off for vacation. The kids have been asking for food art, as we haven’t done any in a while. Our gift to them, and they LOVED it!”

Veggie Car and House, St. Patrick’s School, Terre Haute, Indiana

This simple broccoli Christmas tree was decoration on the serving line at West Chatham Elementary today in Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools, Georgia. Thanks to Director Lydia Martin for proudly sharing what her staff had created.

West Chatham Elementary (GA), Broccoli Christmas Tree

Flat Veggie Trays have been very popular on Pinterest, including the School Meals That Rock Christmas Food Fun board. These two come from districts at opposite ends of the country – Coppell ISD in Texas (L) and South Haven in Michigan (R). Easy to make – and very fun for students!

Texas Broccoli Tree & Michigan Cauliflower Snowman

School lunch can be very festive without being ‘arty’ both this Greek Pizza from Mast Way Elementary Oyster River Child Nutrition, New Hampshire, and the Broccoli Salad from Shaw School, Millbury, Massachusetts, are deliciously colorful examples. Thanks to every school nutrition professional for preparing beautiful, delicious and often fun food for hungry children. Enjoy your winter break – we hope some cooks for you!

Mast Way Greek Pizza, Lee, New Hampshire

Shaw Elementary, Millbury, Massachusetts

31 days of #RealSchoolFood: Seasonal Food Art Made Easy

Posted on December 7, 2014 by schoolmealsthatrock

Want to spiff up the food art on your school cafeteria lines? We have one simple tip for you: Follow the award-winning Provo (UT) School District Child Nutrition Services on Facebook and Pinterest. Known by their slogan ITSMeals at Provo School District, this district does an amazing job of using food art to make their delicious, nutritious meals even more appealing to their customers. This fresh mushroom snowman showed up on the lunch lines last week at Dixon Middle School. The scarf is a veggie too, tomato skin!

Mushroom Snowman, Dixon Middle School, Provo, Utah

While ITSMeals at Provo School District features plenty of more time-consuming food sculptures, like pineapple alligators and melon witches at Halloween, much of their food holiday is quick and easy. These non-candy canes are just slices of banana and strawberries. If you staff is stretched too thin to make them for a hundred breakfasts, you can make just a few to decorate the line.

Super Simple Banana-Strawberry Canes, Provo School District, Utah

And, what’s not to love about a Grinch Kebob? Again, with limited staff time, consider asking some volunteers to help you make some Fruit Grinches – maybe a high school club or FACS class. Or perhaps your PTA/PTO or other parent group? Concerned about sticks with small children? No worries – use a plastic straw or stir stick!

Fruit Grinches on a Stick, Provo School District, Utah

So, our holiday food art tip is simple: Follow the award-winning ITSMeals at Provo school District on Facebook and Pinterest. We are easier to see what their talented staff comes up with these year!

School Meals That Rock

Featuring school nutrition programs that serve kids well

Tag Archives: Christmas

31 Days of #RealSchoolFood: Fruitastic Santas for #Christmas

31 Days of #RealSchoolFood: What Makes Fantastic #FoodArt?

31 Days of #RealSchoolFood: Holiday Fruits and Veggies = FUN

31 days of #RealSchoolFood: Seasonal Food Art Made Easy