Elementary Students Explore Microgreens Through Farm to School Experience

VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) Over the past three weeks, students at Jefferson and Washington Elementary Schools have had the opportunity to learn about, taste, and compare three varieties of microgreens as part of a hands-on Farm to School experience. Through the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program grant, Valley City Public Schools Food service Department provides fresh fruit or vegetable snacks to elementary classrooms three times each week. This regular exposure to a variety of fresh foods gives students the chance to explore new flavors and textures, build confidence in trying unfamiliar foods, and develop healthy eating habits. Microgreens are young vegetable seedlings harvested shortly after their first true leaves emerge. These small greens are packed with nutrients and are often used in salads or as toppings and garnishes. Students discovered that microgreens can also make a tasty snack. Morgan Cristl of Earth to Jar Botanicals in Fargo grew the microgreens especially