Cincinnati Public Schools is proud to be the nation's first large school district to offer lunches to students, starting in 1898.
Nationally acclaimed for our commitment to student nutrition, our Student Dining Services Department has received the Champion of School Breakfast Award five times from the Ohio Department of Education. Our excellence extends to our summer meal program, honored with the Gold Turnip the Beet Award in 2023, Silver in 2022, and Bronze in 2021.
We pride ourselves on serving food that kids know and love while surpassing USDA requirements for healthy meals. Our Clean Label initiative, guided by the Ingredient Guide for Better School Food Purchasing, and our partnership with The Good Food Purchasing Program ensure we source fresh, local foods. We strive to plan culturally responsive menus with a variety of choices in all schools. Our culturally inspired and plant-forward menu items, such as Tamales with yuca and plantains, Pierogies, and Tikka Masala, allow students to try new foods to fuel their day.
Watermelon | Radishes | Strawberries
Bell Peppers |Zucchini | Apples | Cabbage
Week 1 Week 2
Week 3 Week 4
Week 5
Watermelon
Watermelon is a type of fruit that is a part of the gourd family
Watermelons are related to cucumbers
Watermelons are harvested by hand
There are over 1,200 varieties watermelon.
Watermelons are technically a fruit AND a vegetable.
JULY is National
Watermelons take 90 days to grow from seed to fruit.
Seedless watermelon are the most popular.
Watermelon Month!
Watermelons are 92% water.
Watermelons are grown in 96+ countries worldwide.
Sunrise Produce
Sunrise Produce is a group of familyowned & operated farms in Indiana.
grows a variety of fruits & vegetables.
Sunrise Produce’s home farm was started & owned by the Kercher family.
Kercher’s Sunrise Orchards
(Sunrise Produce’s home farm) is located in Goshen, Indiana.
Sunrise Produce has four farms in Indiana.
One of Sunrise Produce’s main priorities is to preserve & regenerate their land & rivers for generations to come.
Radishes
Radishes are a type of root vegetableedible plants that grow underground.
The name radish comes from the Latin word which means
Red Globe are the most common variety of radish.
Radishes come in many different shapes & sizes.
Radishes are cool season vegetables.
Radishes are a root vegetable.
Radishes need full sun
Radishes grow very fast – taking only 25 days to grow from seed to harvest ready vegetable.
Buurma Farms
Buurma Farms is a corporation of vegetable farms in Ohio & Michigan
Buurma Farms was founded in Frans (Frank) Buurma Farms started out only growing celery on four acres of land. vegetables.
Each year, Buurma Farms plants over 1 BILLION radish seeds.
12 Buurma family members actively own the operation.
6 Buurma family members work for the farms full time.
Buurma Farms’ Ohio farm is located in Willard, Ohio.
Buurma Farms now owns & farms on over 2,500 acres of land.
Strawberries
Strawberries are a type of aggregate fruit (not a berry) - a collection of ‘little fruits’ held together.
The U.S is the largest strawberry producing country in the world.
fruit to ripen in the spring.
Main Types of Strawberries: 3
1. June-bearing
2. Ever-bearing
3. Day-neutral
strawberry has fruit with seeds on the outside.
Peak strawberry harvesting season lasts from April through June.
Bosch Growers
Bosch Growers is a family-owned & operated greenhouse farm.
Bosch Growers was started in 1854 by Leonardus van den Bosch Bosch Growers has been familyowned & operated for six generations. Bosch Growers is currently headed by Jaco van den Bosch & his two sons Tijmen & Wouter.
"At Bosch Growers, we work lean and have the ambition to go even leaner.”
Bosch Growers in Somerset, Kentucky
Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are technically fruits they are grown from a flower & contain
Capsaicin is the chemical that makes other peppers
The bell pepper is ONLY member of the pepper family that does not produce
Bell peppers are in the same family as tomatoes, eggplant & potatoes. Bell peppers can be 2 to 6 inches long. long they ripen.
Red bell peppers are also known as sweet peppers.
Bell peppers get sweeter the longer they ripen.
Holthouse Farms
Holthouse Farms is a family-owned vegetable
Holthouse Farms was established in Jan Holthuis & his two sons, Holthouse Farms offers a very wide variety of vegetables.
Holthouse Farms is committed to sustainable agriculture.
“We’ve
Holthouse Farms is located in Willard, Ohio. produce in the mornings & ships it out that same evening.
always known that we have to take care of the land if we expect it to take care of us.”
– Ken Holthouse
Riehm Produce
Riehm Produce is a 5-generation familyowned & operated vegetable farm.
Riehm Produce was founded by Leonard Riehm & his son George 1950s. Riehm Riehm Produce offers Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes - fresh boxes of produce harvested straight from their farm.
Riehm Produce grows vegetables farm fields
Riehm Produce is located in Tiffin, Ohio food & fun begins!”
Dennison’s Market
Dennison’s & operated produce
Dennison’s established in
Dennison’s Market is open MondaySaturday from AprilNovember.
Dennison’s
Some of Dennison’s Market’s plants are grown in a
Dennison’s Market LOVES visitors!
Dennison’s Market is located in Horse Cave, KY.
Watermelon
Watermelon is a type of fruit that is a part of the gourd family
Watermelons are related to cucumbers
Watermelons are harvested by hand
There are over 1,200 varieties watermelon.
Watermelons are technically a fruit AND a vegetable.
JULY is National
Watermelons take 90 days to grow from seed to fruit.
Seedless watermelon are the most popular.
Watermelon Month!
Watermelons are 92% water.
Watermelons are grown in 96+ countries worldwide.
Homegrown Direct
Homegrown Direct offers Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes - fresh boxes of produce harvested straight from their farm.
Homegrown Direct is located in Georgetown, Kentucky.
Homegrown Direct is a family-owned & operated fruit & vegetable farm.
Homegrown Direct is currently run by brothers Jacob & Beckham Sharpe. Jacob & Beckham Sharpe are ninthgeneration farmers.
“Our mission is to provide fresh, local & safe produce.”
Homegrown Direct is a diversified farming operation growing raising cattle.
Zucchini
Zucchini are one of the most popular types of
Zucchinis have MORE potassium than a banana.
Zucchinis grow best in temperate climates.
1 zucchini plant can produce 3 - 10 pounds of zucchini.
More specifically, zucchini is a type of edible and considered a delicacy.
Zucchini are made
Zucchini are a type of “Courgette”
Zucchinis are in peak season from May - August.
The LARGEST zucchini ever grown was 69.5 inches long and weighed 65 pounds!
Holthouse Farms
Holthouse Farms is a family-owned vegetable
Holthouse Farms was established in Jan Holthuis & his two sons, Holthouse Farms offers
Holthouse Farms is located in Willard, Ohio. produce in the mornings & ships it out that same evening. agriculture.
“We’ve always known that we have to take care of the land if we expect it to take care of us.”
– Ken Holthouse
Dennison’s Market
Dennison’s Market is a family & operated produce farm &
Dennison’s Market was established in 1992.
Dennison’s Market is open MondaySaturday from AprilNovember.
Dennison’s
Some of Dennison’s Market’s plants are grown in a
Dennison’s Market LOVES visitors!
Dennison’s Market is located in Horse Cave, KY.
Apples are one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits. The U.S. is home to approximately of apple orchards. of the Most Popular Varieties of Apples:
Red Delicious
Gala
Golden Delicious
Most apples apples are
2,500+ There are
Most apples are HAND-PICKED. An apple blossom is the flower that comes from an apple tree. different varieties of apples are grown in the U.S.
Apple trees take 4- 8 years to start producing fruit.
Bauman Orchards
Bauman Orchards is a 4th-generation family-owned & operated apple orchard.
Bauman Orchards was started in 1929 by Ben Bauman & his wife, Minnie.
“A Legacy of Vision & Growth, a Future of Quality & Service.”
In the fall, Bauman Orchards welcomes visitors to pick their own apples.
Bauman Orchards grows over 20 different kinds of apples.
SUPPORT LOCAL
Bauman is located in Rittman, Ohio.
Bauman Orchards is home to 265 acres of farmland & always expanding.
Bauman Orchards is home to over 70,000 apple trees.
Quarry Hill Orchards
Quarry Hill Orchards grows apples peaches &
Quarry Hill Orchards is a familyowned & operated apple orchard.
Quarry Hill Orchards’ land was purchased by the Gammie family in 1931.
Father & son, Bill & Ben Gammie currently run Quarry Hill Orchards.
Quarry Hill Orchards welcome visitors to pick their own apples!
Farm to School is a very important initiative to Quarry Hill Orchards.
Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are technically fruits - they are grown from a flower & contain
Bell peppers can be 2 to 6 inches long.
Capsaicin is the chemical that makes other peppers spicy
The bell pepper is the ONLY member of the pepper family that does not produce capsaicin.
Bell peppers are in the same family as tomatoes, eggplant & potatoes.
Bell peppers get sweeter the longer they ripen.
ALL bell peppers start out GREEN
long they ripen.
Holthouse Farms
Holthouse Farms is a family-owned vegetable
Holthouse Farms was established in Jan Holthuis & his two sons, Holthouse Farms offers a very wide variety of vegetables.
Holthouse Farms is committed to sustainable agriculture.
“We’ve
Holthouse Farms is located in Willard, Ohio. produce in the mornings & ships it out that same evening.
always known that we have to take care of the land if we expect it to take care of us.”
– Ken Holthouse
Riehm Produce
Riehm Produce is a 5-generation familyowned & operated vegetable farm.
Riehm Produce was founded by Leonard Riehm & his son George 1950s. Riehm Riehm Produce offers Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes - fresh boxes of produce harvested straight from their farm.
Riehm Produce grows vegetables farm fields
Riehm Produce is located in Tiffin, Ohio food & fun begins!”
Lobenstein Farm
Lobenstein Farm is a fifth-generation family-owned & operated farm.
Lobenstein Farm grows a of produce as well as
Starting in 1988, every fall, Lobenstein Farm hosts one of Southeastern Indiana’s largest pumpkin festivals grow corn & soybeans.
Lobenstein Farm is located in Saint Leon, Indiana.
Lobenstein Farms sells their produce at many farmers markets in the
Dennison’s Market
Dennison’s & operated produce
Dennison’s established in
Dennison’s Market is open MondaySaturday from AprilNovember.
Dennison’s
Some of Dennison’s Market’s plants are grown in a
Dennison’s Market LOVES visitors!
Dennison’s Market is located in Horse Cave, KY.
Strawberries
Strawberries are a type of aggregate fruit (not a berry) - a collection of ‘little fruits’ held together.
The U.S is the largest strawberry producing country in the world.
fruit to ripen in the spring.
Main Types of Strawberries: 3
1. June-bearing
2. Ever-bearing
3. Day-neutral
strawberry has fruit with seeds on the outside.
Peak strawberry harvesting season lasts from April through June.
Bosch Growers
Bosch Growers is a family-owned & operated greenhouse farm.
Bosch Growers was started in 1854 by Leonardus van den Bosch Bosch Growers has been familyowned & operated for six generations. Bosch Growers is currently headed by Jaco van den Bosch & his two sons Tijmen & Wouter.
"At Bosch Growers, we work lean and have the ambition to go even leaner.”
Bosch Growers in Somerset, Kentucky
Cabbage
Cabbage is a type of cruciferous vegetable closely relayed to broccoli, kale & cauliflower
Cabbage has been harvested for over 6,000 years making it one of the OLDEST vegetables in existence.
Cabbage can grow up to 6 feet tall.
Cabbage leaves have waxy coating.
400+ varieties of cabbage.
cold-
Types of Cabbage: 1. Early 2. Late Early cabbage takes 45 days to mature while late cabbage takes 87 days.
The most popular varieties of cabbage:
Green Cabbage Red Cabbage Savoy Cabbage
Holthouse Farms
Holthouse Farms is a family-owned vegetable
Holthouse Farms was established in Jan Holthuis & his two sons, a very wide variety of vegetables.
Holthouse Farms is committed to sustainable agriculture.
Holthouse Farms is located in Willard, Ohio. produce in the mornings & ships it out that same evening.
“We’ve always known that we have to take care of the land if we expect it to take care of us.”
