By Blake Jackson
October is Farm to School Month, and it's the perfect time to celebrate all things locally, including dairy! Most dairy farms are within 100 miles of a student's school, and milk travels from the cow to the carton in just 48 hours.
Dairy is a nutritious and delicious food that provides students with 13 essential nutrients, including calcium, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin D, protein, and vitamin B. These nutrients help students' bodies build strong bones, create energy, grow strong teeth, build and repair muscles, and keep digestion on track.
To celebrate Farm to School Month, the St. Louis District Dairy Council challenges students, parents, and schools to discover the dairy farm within their community by using the Moo to You! program. Moo to You! is a colorful collection of posters highlighting Illinois and Missouri dairy farms. You can find Moo to You! at www.stldairycouncil.org, under "Our Programs" and the "Farm to You" tab. Click on each pin on the map to find a local dairy farm in the bi-state area.
Here is a delicious and nutritious pumpkin cheesecake smoothie recipe that you can make at home to celebrate Farm to School Month:
Ingredients:
- 1 can (14 oz.) pumpkin, chilled
- 3 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese
- 1 container (6 oz.) low fat vanilla yogurt
- 2 cups low fat milk
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
- 2 Tbsp. graham cracker crumbs, optional
Instructions:
- Place all ingredients (except graham cracker crumbs) in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour 1/6 of mixture into glasses.
- Top each serving with a teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs (optional).
- Enjoy!
Optional: Visit a local pumpkin patch and pick out your own sugar pie pumpkin to make your own pumpkin puree!
Photo Credit: digital-visionphotodisc-photo
Categories: Missouri, Education, Livestock, Dairy Cattle