Celery-brating National School Lunch Week at Home!
Oct 06, 2020, Updated May 19, 2021
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This post is sponsored by Duda Farm Fresh Foods.
Prepare students a healthy school lunch at home to power their brains so they can do their best! The first step involves keeping your fridge stocked with fruits and vegetables, like celery—a versatile veggie that provides lots of opportunity to munch on the good stuff.
National School Lunch Week runs October 12th-16th this year with the theme, “Now Playing: School Lunch!” Use this as inspiration to put a spotlight on the importance of students eating a healthy school lunch even when learning from home. Fuel children in your life, just as the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) has been for more than 70 years, with a balanced veggie-filled diet right from their own kitchen table.
There is so much to celebrate about celery! Guilt-free, crunchy, and kid-approved too. A comforting classic that never goes out of style, celery makes a refreshing addition to snacks, smoothies, side dishes, salads and soups alike. We’re sharing some unique ways to use celery in the kitchen to make the most of your kid’s lunch break at home.
Stuffed Celery Sticks
From the long-time favorite, peanut butter, to soft cheeses, spreads and salads—celery is a perfect vessel and pairs well with a range of flavors. Try filling celery sticks with cream cheese, pimento cheese, hummus, chicken salad or tuna salad. No utensils required, use celery sticks as a fun way to scoop up something scrumptious! Top stuffed celery with sunflower seeds, dried fruits, and diced veggies for a fuller flavor profile.
Sippin’ on Celery
Have you tried a handful of celery in your smoothie or smoothie bowls? Freshen your favorite recipe up with a subtle celery twist. Banana, apple, spinach, cucumber and celery with a little ice and a splash of lemon juice is a delicious combo to try. Add ginger or orange juice for extra zing.
Celery Snack-imals
Get creative—celery is a big smile-maker when you use it to craft edible critters and creatures! Use sweet peanut butter or savory cream cheese as a filling and edible glue. Build fun butterflies with pretzel wings and nutty eyes, slithering snakes with a chain of grape-filled celery sticks and a carrot tongue, or round-back snails with apple and cucumber slices wedged standing upright and raisins for eyes.
Soupin’ on Celery
Incorporate fiber into your favorite soups with a heap of chopped celery. Celery flavor is a perfect addition to veggie soups, cheesy potato soups, chicken noodle soups, stews, chilis, and pho dishes. You can also use washed discarded celery tops and bottoms to flavor broths.
Try these recipes for Celery Soup with Bacon and Crockpot Celery Bean Soup too!
Celery Bitty Bites
Ac-celery-ate prepared foods with a dash of celery! Dice celery into tiny pieces and use it as a topping on cheese spreads, mac n cheese, buffalo chicken bites, hummus spreads and salads. Add fiber, crunch and freshness with a simple sprinkle of chopped celery.
Did you know? Celery is low in calories, high in fiber, and always fat-free—making it a handy staple to keep in the fridge. To access more yummy celery recipes visit Dandy®.
How will you celery-brate National School Lunch Week at home? Share your celery creations on Instagram and tag @theproducemoms and @dandyfreshproduce.
