This Month’s Featured Fruit is

PEAR

Health and Learning Success Go Hand-in-Hand
Studies show that children who eat meals with families tend to eat more fruits and vegetables than children who eat alone. One of the best ways to encourage children to eat fruits and vegetables is to join them. Expose your child to new and old favorites. Harvest of the Month provides an opportunity for students to try new fruits and vegetables and make healthy recipes to serve your family and friends.

Health and Nutrition Go Hand-in-Hand
Eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables and getting daily physical activity can help your family stay healthy, feel good, and may lower the risk of serious health problems like obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer.

How Much Do I Need?

• A ½ cup of sliced pears is about half of one pear. This is about the size of one cupped handful.
• A ½ cup of sliced pears has fiber and vitamin C.
• Fiber is a complex carbohydrate. It helps keep food in your stomach longer so that you feel full. It may help lower the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer.
•  Vitamin C helps the body heal cuts and wounds and helps lower the risk of infection.
• The amount of fruits and vegetables you need depends on your age, gender, and physical activity level. Look at the chart below to find out how much each person in your family needs to eat. All forms count toward the daily amount – fresh, frozen, canned, and dried. Make a family plan to eat the recommended amount each day.

Let’s Get Physical!

• Walk to the grocery store with your child. On the way home, do arm curls with the lighter grocery bags.
• If you have to drive, park the car farther away than normal and walk the rest of the way.

Produce Tips

• Choose pears that look colorful and fresh with no bruises or holes.
• To ripen a pear, place on countertop, in a bowl, or in a paper bag. If placed near apples, pears will ripen more quickly.
• Store ripe pears in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• To keep sliced pears from turning brown, dip them into a mixture of one tablespoon 100% apple juice and one cup water.
• Bartlett pears are ripe when they turn golden yellow.
• Other pears, such as Anjou or Bosc, are ripe when the area near the stem gives to gentle pressure. Because pears ripen from the inside out, pears that are soft around the middle may be over ripe.

Healthy Serving Ideas

• Cut a pear in half and remove the core. Fill the center of each half with all-natural peanut butter or lowfat yogurt. Sprinkle with granola and cinnamon for a healthy snack.
• Enjoy a whole pear for an afternoon snack.
• Talk with your child about other fruits and vegetables that are in season. Find a recipe and make it together.
• Add sliced pears to green salads for a sweet crunch.

Toss chopped pears, onions, bell peppers, and mangos with a touch of cilantro and lime juice. Serve with baked corn chips for a quick salsa your kids will love.

Recipes

For additional recipes visit Champions For Change    or Calpear (http://www.cachampionsforchange.net/en/Recipes.php)   or www.calpear.com

California Bartlett Pear Salsa                      California Pear Bistro Salad