What’s For
Lunch?
Monday
French Bread Pizza
Chef Salad w/ Ham and Turkey
Spinach Salad
Glazed Carrots
Fresh Orange
Tuesday
Beef Fingers
Poppin Chicken Salad
Mashed Potatoes
Celery/Cucumber/Tomato
Honey Wheat Roll
Fresh Apple
Wednesday
Meatball Sub
Asian Chicken Salad
Green Beans
Jicama
Fresh Banana
Thursday
Dried Cranberry
Oven Crispy Chicken
Taco Salad
Garlic Broccoli
Baby Carrots
Mandarin Oranges
Friday
Mini Corn Dog
Southwest Chicken Salad
Cinnamon Graham Cracker
Bean & Corn Salad
Sweet Potato Bites
Diced Peaches
Nutritional Benefits
Jicama
What is Jicama?
- Round, bulbous root vegetable (tuber)
- Part of the legume family
- Grows on vines
- From Central & South America
- Nicknames:
- Mexican potato
- Mexican yam bean
- Mexican water chestnut
Health Benefits
Low in calories
High in vital nutrients
¼ daily fiber per serving
Excellent Vitamin C source
Prebiotic role in the body
Provides healthy amount of Potassium
Can help promote heart health
Health Benefits
Powerful antioxidant
Contains inulin
Promotes bone health
Contains:
Folate
Riboflavin
Thiamin
Iron
Magnesium
How to eat Jicama
- Raw or cooked
- Stir fry
- In a salad
- Add to soup
*Favorite Recipe:
- Chilled jicama slices w/ chili powder, salt, and
lime juice
Plum
What is a Plum?
- Relative of the peach, nectarine, and almond
- “Drupe”: fruit with a hard stone pit
surrounding the seeds
- Over 2,000 varieties exist
- 6 general categories
- Size, shape, and color vary
- In season May-October
- Dried plum = Prune
Health Benefits
High content of 2 phytonutrients (phenols)
Neochlorogenic acid
Chlorogenic acid
Great antioxidants
Very good source of Vitamin C
Increases Iron absorption
Good source of:
Vitamin A
Dietary Fiber
Potassium
Orange
What is an Orange?
- Fruit of a tropical/semitropical evergreen tree
- “Citrus fruit”
- Grapefruit, pomelo, tangerine
- 2 types: sweet and bitter
- Variety of colors and sizes
- In season: October-February
Health Benefits
High Vitamin C content
Primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body
Reduces severity of inflammation
Low in calories
Rich in dietary fiber (pectin)
Wide variety of phytonutrient compounds:
citrus flavanones
Health Benefits
Good source of:
Thiamin
Pyridoxine
Folate
Vitamin A
Potassium
Calcium
Helps prevent kidney stones and stomach
ulcers
Banana
What is a Banana?
- Fruit of the banana plant
- Largest herbaceous flowering plant
- Grown in tropical regions
- Only tri-segmented fruit in the world
- Grow in hanging clusters
- 2 types: sweet and plantain
- Around 100 different species
- ~3/4 water
Health Benefits
One of the best sources of Potassium
May help promote bone health
May reduce risk of kidney cancer
Very good source of Vitamin B6
Good source of:
Vitamin C
Manganese
Health Benefits
Antacid
Protects against stomach ulcers and damage
Help eliminate bacteria in stomach
Contains pectin (soluble fiber)
Help movement through GI tract
Rich source of fructooligosaccharide (prebiotic)
Contains flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants
Tomato
What is a Tomato?
- Nutritious fruit of the tomato plant
- Commonly used as a vegetable
- Belongs to ‘nightshade’ family of common
vegetables
- Related to chili peppers, potato, and eggplant
- Native to Central America
- First cultivated by the Aztecs
- Many varieties:
- Heirloom, Cherry, Roma, Beefsteak, Grape
- Red, Yellow, Orange, Purple, Green
Health Benefits
Low-calorie
Excellent source of dietary fiber
Antioxidants
Protect against certain types of cancer
Lycopene- unique phytochemical that prevents
skin damage from UV rays
Good source of Vitamin C
Good source of Potassium
Health Benefits
Good levels of:
Vitamin A
α and β carotenes
Contributes B Vitamins and Minerals
Help lower:
Total cholesterol
LDL
Triglycerides
Spinach
What is Spinach?
- Green-leafy vegetable
- One of the “functional foods”
- Scientific name: Spinacia oleracea
- 2 main types: crinkle leaves and flat leaves
- In season March-May
Health Benefits
Provides good amount of soluble dietary fiber
Rich source of Vitamins A & C
Excellent source of Vitamin K
Plays a vital role in strengthening bone mass
Helps with Alzheimer’s disease
Rich source of omega-3-fatty acids
Provides key minerals
Health Benefits
Provides 5 Vitamin B complexes:
B6
Thiamin
Riboflavin
Folate
Niacin
Helps prevent/protect from:
Osteoporosis
Iron-deficiency anemia
Cardiovascular disease
How to eat Spinach
- In a salad
- On a sandwich
- Add to a smoothie
- In an omelet
- On a pizza
*Traditional Recipe:
- India/Pakistan: cooked spinach with cubed cheese
(“palak paneer”)
Carrots
What are Carrots?
- Belong to the Umbelliferae family
- Related to parsnips, fennel, parsley, cumin,
caraway, and dill
- Grow underground
- Roots: crunchy texture, sweet and minty
aromatic taste
- Greens: fresh tasting and slightly bitter
- Come in a variety of colors
Health Benefits
Lowers risk of cardiovascular disease
High β-carotene content (carotenoid)
Good source of Vitamin C
Rich in B-complexes:
Folic acid
B6
Pantothenic acid
thiamin
Health Benefits
Healthy levels of:
Copper
Calcium
Manganese
Phosphorus
Polyacetylenes
Phytonutrients help inhibit growth of cancer
Work together with carotenoids