The Potato Underground — Discover the Goodness of America's Favorite Vegetable

April 15, 2008 is the entry deadline for all interested in applying to win one of ten grants being offered by the United States Potato Board (USPB).

The USPB has supported nutrition education in schools for decades. In this educational initiative, the USPB has teamed up with the School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) of the School Nutrition Association (SNA) to present ten public elementary schools in the U.S. with grants of $2,500.00 each for equipment and/or educational programs that will help move children toward healthier diets and improve their overall wellness.

Apply for a grant before it’s too late by visiting the School Nutrition Association Web site or the USPB’s Web site.

Winners will be announced at the 2008 School Nutrition Association Annual Conference.

By Amy Kull

In honor of the United Nations’ declaration that 2008 is the International Year of the Potato, we asked two of our favorite food experts, Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough, authors of The Ultimate Potato Book, to share some of their favorite authentic potato dishes from around the world. Share they did, assisted by 12 fifth-grade students from the United Nations International School (UNIS) in Manhattan, with television and radio audiences throughout the U.S. during a satellite media tour last week.

A satellite media tour allows spokespeople to conduct interviews with TV and radio stations around the country from one location. We were fortunate enough to work with the terrific folks at UNIS to transmit our interviews from their impressive library. Students with a wide array of cultural backgrounds assisted Bruce and Mark with demonstrating how to make Kootu Curry, a vegetarian main dish featuring potatoes, green beans, eggplant, and chickpeas flavored with curry and toasted coconut.

Also shown were Potato Ceviche from Peru, a Chinese Red Pork and Potato Stew and Irish Potato Bread. Recipes for these dishes can be found at www.potatogoodness.com.

The students and cookbook authors responded to lots of potato-related questions from television news anchors and radio DJs in about 18 states. The biggest question was, “Why did the UN bestow this honor on the potato?” Most were surprised to learn how important the potato can be in relieving world hunger due to the relative ease with which it can be grown and because of its positive nutrition profile. Specifically named by Bruce and Mark was the fact that potatoes are fat-, sodium-, and cholesterol-free, and one medium-sized (5.3 ounce) potato contains 45% of the Daily Value of vitamin C. With skins, potatoes are a good source of potassium and a contain 8% of the Daily Value of fiber. They also provide critically important complex carbohydrates, the body’s most efficient fuel source.

Bring the flavors of the world to your house tonight and try one of Bruce and Mark’s authentic international potato dishes. Happy International Year of the Potato to you!

By Meredith Myers 

School assemblies thrill kids of every age!

Picture this:  a gym-full of elementary school-age students, anticipating the arrival the legendary Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD character.  The excitement builds when “Jumpin’ Jules” and “Awesome Allen,” the famed spud’s energy-packed partners, pop onto stage and rev up the crowd.  Now, imagine the shrieks of delight when Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD dances onto the stage, beginning a 30-minute, interactive, Radio Disney produced “Potato Power Rockin’ Recess” school assembly. 

I know my description doesn’t do justice to the in-person experience. I mean, I was there last week - and my ears are still ringing.  The last in a three year-long series of school assemblies held across the United States was performed on December 14 at Chinook Trail Elementary in Colorado Springs, CO.  The month prior we were at Woodrow Wilson Elementary in West Allis, a suburb of Milwaukee, WI.

 
The star of the show is definitely the potato industry’s “spokespud,” and, under license from the Hasbro Properties Group, Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD has an important mission in mind. Donning sneakers, a baseball cap, and carrying a water bottle, he wants kids, teachers, and parents to know that the potatoes they love are full of essential vitamins and minerals, providing the nutrients needed to get up and get fit! 

So, students learned new nutrition vocabulary words like potassium, fiber and vitamin C.   The teachers danced - some even on stage!  The kids grooved to the Potato Power Dance. Prizes were awarded for good answers.  Plus, we discovered kids can automatically tell you a half-dozen ways to eat potatoes…and they love them!  So, Mom, how about serving potatoes tonight???

As I mentioned, the Potato Power Rockin’ Recess was performed in six other cities across the country: San Jose, Denver, Atlanta, Harrisburg, St. Louis and Grafton.  The idea behind the school assembly series was to tie it to a larger nutrition campaign, one launched during the 2005 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, when Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD sprinted down the streets of NY for the first time as a giant balloon. This Thanksgiving, which my fellow blogger, Cheryl Koompin, wrote about earlier this month, was the balloon’s final parade appearance, yet he will still help usher in 2008 as the International Year of the Potato, as designated by the United Nations. It’s been a delight to promote a character that communicates nutrition in a way that resonates with so many people in all stages of life.
 
Before I sign off, I really want to make sure my state potato organization colleagues (friends!) know how much I truly appreciate their help this year in making their state assemblies successful.  The USPB partnered with the Northern Plains Potato Growers Association, the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association and the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, which all provided promotional and educational materials to all the students and classrooms.  This way, students, parents and teachers have reminders that the nutrition-packed potato was proudly grown in their own state.

The U.S. Potato Board (USPB) has supported nutrition education in schools for decades and for its newest educational initiative, the USPB has teamed up with the School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) of the School Nutrition Association (SNA) to launch its first-ever School Wellness Grant Program.

The USPB will award 10 grants, $2,500 each, to public elementary schools in the United States for equipment and/or educational programs that will help bring healthier and more nutritious diets to school children. 

With childhood obesity at epidemic proportions and the initiation of school wellness policies across the country, many school nutrition program directors are faced with finding healthy and, tasty food for school lunches their students will actually eat. At the same time, schools want to provide outlets for physical activity to help children be more active. The USPB’s grant program allows schools to allocate funds toward improving nutrition at schools or physical activity among students, whatever is most needed.

School administrators, foodservice staff, teachers and parents can submit an application for the USPB’s School Wellness Grant Program on behalf of their elementary school. Applications are now available at www.healthypotato.com/health.asp or http://www.schoolnutrition.org/Index.aspx?id=2620 and must be completed by April 15, 2008. Winners will be announced at the 2008 School Nutrition Association Annual Conference. Winners names will also be posted right here on the Potato Underground!

If you’re looking to make your school lunch more nutritious, potatoes are full of vitamins and minerals. One medium (5.3 oz) potato has 110 calories and almost half (45%) of the Daily Value (DV) of vitamin C. A potato with skin has 2 grams of dietary fiber and is a good source of vitamin B6 (10% DV) and potassium (18% DV).

The School Nutrition Association (SNA) and School Nutrition Federation (SNF) have teamed up with the United States Potato Board (USPB) to create the newly released “Potatoes – Packed with Good Nutrition” Backpack Brochure!  The SNA and SNF produce a limited series of educational brochures each year that are designed to reach parents via their children’s “backpacks.”  Limited quantities are distributed directly by schools, but we’re making these high-quality brochures available to educators and parents as well, while supplies last.

In an effort to educate parents and school officials on the nutritional value, low cost and overwhelming popularity of the potato, these brochures have been developed as part of the SNA’s “Partners in Nutrition” series. These full-color brochures contain tips and ideas for encouraging children to eat fruits and vegetables and feature up-to-date information on America’s favorite vegetable, the potato.

For example, did you know that one medium-sized (5.3 oz) potato contains only 110 calories, is fat- and cholesterol-free and contains more potassium than a banana? A potato eaten with the skin offers important dietary fiber, is rich in vitamin C, and a good source of vitamin B6. For healthy potato recipes, visit www.healthypotato.com.

To order your packet of 100 brochures, call the SNA emporium at (800) 728-0728. Supplies are limited to 10 packets per caller, and the only cost is shipping and handling.
For more information on SNA’s Backpack Brochure program, please visit http://www.schoolnutrition.org/Index.aspx?id=1062 or contact the SNA Service Center at (800) 877-8822 ext. 200.

Downloadable PDF:
http://www.schoolnutrition.org/uploadedFiles/ASFSA/childnutritionfn/Partners.Potatoes.pdf