KEY ISSUES:

Easy ways to 

follow the 2010

Dietary Guidelines for 

Americans

Want to add more color, crunch, and flavor to your menus? Offering a wide variety of vegetables provides a quick-andeasy way to make school meals pop with dazzling eye appeal and 

help children get the nutritional benefits they need. By eating more 

vegetables, students develop lifelong habits that promote good 

health!

Just the Facts

for Healthier School Meals

Vary Your Vegetables

Recipe for Success

Go for variety!

 Offer different veggies every day, and include servings in each of 

these groups over a week:

● Dark green: broccoli, spinach, romaine lettuce, and other dark 

leafy greens

● Red/Orange: acorn and butternut squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, 

and tomatoes

● Beans and Peas (Legumes): black beans, garbanzo beans 

(chickpeas), kidney beans, lentils, navy beans, split peas, pinto 

beans, and white beans

● Starchy: corn, green peas, green lima beans, and potatoes

● Others: cauliflower, celery, cabbage, mushrooms, green beans, 

and iceberg lettuce

Boost the nutritional value!

 Offer plenty of raw veggies with the peel for extra fiber and cut into 

easy-to-eat sizes.

 Use herbs or no-salt spice mixes instead of butter, margarine, or 

cream sauces to season vegetable dishes and to lower saturated fat, 

sodium, and calories.

 Buy canned vegetables labeled “no-salt added” or choose lower 

sodium products.

 Use frozen vegetables that do not contain added fats, sugars, and 

sodium; they have just as many nutrients as fresh and are an affordable 

option when some fresh vegetables are out of season and cost more.

 Vegetables are rich in some 

of the key nutrients that 

kids fall short on, including 

potassium, fiber, folate, and 

magnesium.

 People who eat a variety 

of vegetables may have a 

decreased risk of chronic 

diseases like heart disease, 

diabetes, and some cancers.

 The meal patterns require 

schools to offer a variety of 

vegetables during the week. 

Vegetables are divided into 

five subgroups: dark green, 

red/orange, beans and peas 

(legumes), starchy, and other 

vegetables.

 Schools must offer students 

in grades K-8 at least 3⁄4 cup 

of vegetables every day, and 

students in grades 9-12 at 

least 1 cup of vegetables 

daily.

 Start a farm-to-school 

program to obtain fresh 

produce locally. To get 

started, go to: www.fns.usda.

gov/cnd/ F2S/ 
USDA Foods Program

You can stretch your food budget and ensure high quality by ordering a wide variety of vegetables through 

the USDA Foods Program and the Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. To 

learn more information about the DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, go to www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/

programs/dod/. USDA only offers low-sodium or no-salt-added canned vegetables through the USDA Foods 

Program. Schools can also order frozen vegetables as an additional no-salt-added option. To check the list of 

vegetables available through the USDA Foods Program, go to the USDA Foods Toolkit at: http://www.fns.usda.

gov/fdd/foods/healthy/Professional.htm to review the Foods Available List for Schools.. 

Messages for Students

 Eat a rainbow of colorful vegetables at lunch!

 Craving a crunchy snack? Grab raw veggies 

and low-fat dip for a delicious treat!

 Try a new veggie once a week─at home or at 

school.

Add more veggies to meals and snacks!

 Prepare veggies in different ways. For example, 

make a rainbow vegetable stir-fry, crunchy 

coleslaw, or a chicken Caesar salad.

 Add diced carrots or zucchini into meatloaf, 

casseroles, or soup. Include chopped vegetables 

in pasta sauce, pizza, or lasagna.

 Include cooked dry beans or peas in flavorful 

mixed dishes. Add extra beans to casseroles or 

minestrone soup. Or, use white beans in your 

favorite chili recipe.

 Offer garbanzo beans or kidney beans on a 

salad bar.

Make vegetables more appealing!

 Entice your students with colorful and tasty fresh 

vegetables in small, easy-to-eat shapes: baby 

carrots or carrot sticks, green and red pepper 

slices, grape tomatoes, broccoli or cauliflower 

florets, and sliced zucchini and yellow squash.

 Have taste tests and offer samples encourage 

students to try different vegetables and vote for 

their favorites.

 Add color to lettuce mix with carrot slices or 

strips, shredded red cabbage, or 

spinach leaves. 

 Serve low-fat dressing 

yogurt dip, hummus, 

or nut butters with raw 

veggies. 

Did You Know?

 It’s important to rinse all vegetables before 

cutting, preparing, or eating them. Under clean, 

cold, running water, rub them briskly with your 

hands or a vegetable brush to remove dirt and 

surface micro-organisms. Pat dry with a paper 

towel after washing.

 Remember to keep vegetables separate from 

raw meat, poultry, and seafood while receiving, 

storing, or preparing them.

For More Information: 

Team Nutrition (http://teamnutrition.usda.gov)

USDA Choose MyPlate (www.ChooseMyPlate.gov)

Let’s Eat for the Health of It (http://teamnutrition.usda.

gov/Resources/letseat.html) 

Fruits and Vegetables Galore: Helping Kids Eat More

(http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/fv_galore.html)

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Fruits & Veggies: 

More Matters (www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov) 

Changing the Scene – Improving the School Nutrition 

Environment (http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/

changing.html)

U.S. Department of Agriculture ● Food and Nutrition Service ● August 2012 ● FNS 449-D ● USDA is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

Just the Facts: Vary Your Vegetables http://teamnutrition.usda.gov