What’s On The Tray? Greens

Welcome to our monthly food-centered pop quiz – What’s on the Tray? – spotlighting foods that show up on breakfast and lunch trays, and why they matter.

Pop quiz: Which famous character is best known for loving a leafy green?

A) Baby Yoda
B) Popeye
C) Bluey
D) Homer Simpson

Answer: Popeye

Popeye became famous for eating spinach whenever he needed a boost of strength, helping popularize this nutrition-packed green. While spinach won’t give you instant super strength, it is a nutritional powerhouse filled with vitamins and fiber. That’s why leafy greens like spinach are a great addition to school meals. Beyond salads, they’re great on sandwiches, wraps, sauces, soups and other cooked dishes.

Growing Greens in Minnesota Year-Round

Common greens include spinach, kale, romaine lettuce and collard greens – these are all grown right here in Minnesota.

Even as the cold season begins, greens like kale and collard greens are cold-tolerant, so they can continue growing beyond the first fall frosts.

But others are not as hardy. Because of our long winters, Minnesota farmers are looking at ways to grow these foods year-round. Hydroponic farming is one way to grow greens in a controlled greenhouse environment. Plants receive nutrient-rich water instead of growing in soil, allowing fresh greens to be produced even during Minnesota’s harsh winters. Lettuce in particular, does well in a hydroponic growing system.

More on Spinach… and Eyes

Remember Popeye wearing glasses? Probably not because he never had them. Spinach contains nutrients that help support healthy eyes. It is rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that help protect your eyes from damage caused by sunlight and blue light.

While it’ll take a lot more effort to get muscles like Popeye, they help represent the nutritional powerhouse that spinach is. It’s low in calories but high in vitamins like K, A and C along with filling fiber, which all help to boost brain health and improve gut health. In other words, it helps students learn and participate in activities throughout the day.

Fun Greens Facts to Share with Students

Although most leafy greens are green, some varieties can be red, purple, or even a combination of colors. Examples include red kale and bok choy.
Romaine lettuce is believed to be one of the oldest types of lettuce on earth, possibly grown over 5,000 years ago!
About 95% of lettuce is water – a great option to help you stay hydrated.

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