Colonial SD elementary schools ‘Go for the Greens’

The week before St. Patrick’s Day, students at Ridge Park Elementary and Plymouth Elementary schools focus on green fruits and vegetables, answering trivia questions and sampling new things at lunch in an effort to “Go for the Greens.” This year, the children were able to sample fresh smoothies prepared by the Food Services staff. When asked, the children suggested that the smoothies included pickles, kiwi, broccoli, watermelon and kale, in addition to the true ingredients: grapes, spinach, bananas and pineapple. The new food services mascot, Walter Melon, also visited the lunches to help encourage the students to “Go for the Greens.” “He’s cool, because he’s a watermelon,” said PE first grader Jacob Dawgiert. The addition of the mascot and the “Go for the Greens” initiatives are just some of the ways that the Food Services department encourages the students to eat more fruits and vegetables. In the last few years, the department tested new colors for the serving containers and adding images of cartoon vegetable characters with fun names to the lunch line. More students continue to take fruits and vegetables as a result of this effort.