Nebraska Farm to Preschool Toolkit

Winter Squash is in season in Nebraska August through November.  Popular varieties in Nebraska are Sweet Pumpkin, Acorn, Butternut, Buttercup, Banana, Delicata, Hubbard, Kabocha, Spaghetti, Turban and Sweet Dumpling.

Fun Facts about winter squash: Did you know? …

• Squash are uniquely an American crop bred by the Indigenous people more than 10,000 years ago and then spread worldwide in the 1500’s.
• There are two types of squash: summer and winter.
• Summer squash are picked when immature and the skins can be eaten; winter squash are picked when completely mature and have hard thick rinds.
• Most winter squashes are harvested in the fall but get their name because they have long shelf lives and can be consumed during the winter months.
• Squash is in the gourd family and related to melons.

• Squash is loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.

• One cup of cubed butternut squash has more than 100 percent of daily recommended value of Vitamin A for people ages 51 and older.

• A one cup serving of butternut squash contains almost 500 mg of potassium, which can help decrease your blood pressure by counteracting the effects of sodium in your diet.
• Squashes are inexpensive, versatile, and easy to prepare

Resource: Guide to Winter Squash

Fun Facts About Squash

Food Revolution- Health Benefits of Winter Squash.

Consumer Reports – Health Benefits of Winter Squash

Produce Spotlight- Winter Squash

Winter Squash is featured in the Nebraska Harvest of the Month  curriculum along with other produce available seasonally in Nebraska. The curriculum includes newsletters, posters, recipes, taste tests, coloring sheets and other activities. Click on the link to download materials.

Storage: store in a cool dry place

Ways to Prepare:  grill, roast, sauté, steam, air fry, instant pot, and puree.

Other Uses: soups, stews, sauces, casseroles, in hash, baked items, baked seeds

Prepping Tips:

• Rinse off dirt
• Can soften skin by microwaving whole squash for 3 minutes, flip halfway through
• Use a sharp chef’s knife
• Peel skin for slices or cubes; leave skin on if baking quarters or halves
• Cut off top and bottom of elongated squashes and then halve horizontally
• Cut stem off round squashes and then halve horizontally or vertically
• Scoop out seeds
• For slices or cubes: chop elongated quashes lengthwise for slices; chop slices horizontally to make cubes

Curriculum

• Grow It, Try It, Like It! Nutrition Educational Tool Kit (Team Nutrition Resource Library):https://pueblo.gpo.gov/TN/TNPubs.php?PubID=15038 Or download available: https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/grow-it-homes
• Nebraska Harvest of the Month – Recipes, Taste Test Guide, posters, coloring sheets and more (click on the link and scroll down to download materials).

• National Farm to School Network, Farm to Preschool/Early Care : https://www.farmtoschool.org/resources?2df7000d_page=3&resource-settings=preschool-early-care

• Safety in the Little Gardener’s Garden: https://learningstore.uwex.edu/Assets/pdfs/A3905-07.pdf

• ASAP Growing Minds a program of Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project: https://growing-minds.org/farm-to-preschool/

• A Guide to using the Creative Curriculum for Preschool to Support Farm-to-ECE Models: https://www.farmtoschool.org/resources-main/a-guide-to-using-the-creative-curriculum-to-support-farm-to-ece-models

Lesson Plans and Activities

 Nebraska Crunch Off

• Nebraska Department of Agriculture Kids page: http://www.nda.nebraska.gov/kids/index.html
• Harvest for Healthy Kids- Free Activity Kits: http://www.harvestforhealthykids.org/?page_id=291
• Farm to Preschool on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/janamarie76/farm-preschool-theme/

• Local Foods in CACFP Policy Memo: http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/f2s/CACFP11_2015_Local%20Foods%20in%20CACFP_03%2013%202015.pdf

• USDA – Community Food Systems: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cfs

• USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program: Meal Pattern Revisions Related to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 Final Rule: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2016/04/25/2016-09412/child-and-adult-care-food-program-meal-pattern-revisions-related-to-the-healthy-hunger-free-kids-act

Nebraska Farm to School:

Nebraska Farm to School Month

Buy Fresh Buy Local Nebraska http://buylocalnebraska.org/about-us

UNL Farm to School Month

Step Up to Quality Stories: How to Advance Early Childhood Education with Local, Fresh Foods

The Dirt: Farm to School e-Letter (USDA)