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August is a wonderful month for fresh, local, seasonal produce! From beans, eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, sweet corn, to summer squash—menu options are endless! Take a trip to you local farmers market or farm stand and purchase some of this seasons delights.
Check out the Seasonal Food Guide to find out what's in season near you and learn to cook with produce you may not have tried before.
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Whip It Up!
by Marianne Lindgren
NC Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
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North Carolina’s long, sunny days of summer help our gardens to thrive! As a result, we see an abundance of beautiful tomatoes growing on vines, ready to be harvested. Tomatoes can be a healthy snack on their own, or a perfect addition to salads, sandwiches and more!
Try pairing red and Sun Gold cherry tomatoes with avocado for a nutritious afternoon snack bursting with flavor and color – a treat for the tastebuds and the eyes! As we head back to school, this quick and easy recipe will keep kids full and energized for the rest of the day!
Tomato and Avocado Bruschetta
Yield: 8 servings
Snack serving size for 3-5 year-olds: 1/2 slice of bread*, 1/4 cup cherry tomato, and 1/4 cup mashed avocado
Ingredients:
- 4 slices whole grain-rich bread
- 1/4 lb. cherry tomatoes, cut in fourths
- 1 3/4 lb. ripe avocadoes
- 1 Tbsp. lime or lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
- Basil leaves (optional, garnish)
Instructions:
- Cut the slices of whole grain-rich bread in half*.
- Toast the bread until it’s golden brown and crisp on top, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Cut the avocado lengthwise, remove the pit, scoop the flesh, and mash the avocado with lime or lemon juice.
- Top each halved slice of toast with 1/4 cup mashed avocado and 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes. If desired, add a sprinkle of salt and garnish with basil leaves.
CACFP Crediting for Snack: 1/2 cup vegetable and 1/2 oz. eq. grains.
*To meet the required ounce equivalents per serving for the CACFP, make sure 1/2 slice of whole grain-rich bread weighs at least 14 grams.
Alternative directions: Serve each child a 1/2 slice of toast, 1/4 cup mashed avocado, and 1/4 cup tomatoes and have them build their own bruschetta. YUM!
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Let It Grow
by
Kyle Hood, MS-Nutrition
Garden Collaborative Extension Associate with Steps to Health
NC Cooperative Extension Service
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Learning Burst: Gardening Series:
Garden Planning for Young Children
Join Kyle Hood as he takes you on a gardening journey from beginning to end. Kyle is going to help get started planning where and how you and your children will begin this process. Watch the webinar here.
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The NC Farm to Preschool Network connects, educates, develops and shares resources between community and state partners, farmers, early childhood educators and families to spark the local foods movement in early childhood education environments. |
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Farmers Market Day
by Shanda Trent
An enthusiastic and slightly clumsy little girl searches for yummy treats at the farmer's market, where she finds forests of broccoli trees, rainbows of flowers, freshly baked breads and a cuddly kitten. Watch a read aloud on YouTube.
This Little Farmer Went To Market
by B.G. Hennessy
Follow the little farmers from their farms, gardens, and orchards to the farmers market, where they help to set up stands and prepare for the hungry shoppers who come to buy their food. Watch a read aloud on YouTube.
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ASAP’s 2025 Farm Tour
Sept. 20-21, noon to 5 p.m.
See participating farms, all within an hour of Asheville. One pass is good for all passengers in a single vehicle at all farms, both days. Passes are $35 before Sept. 20 and $45 on Sept 20-21. Learn more and purchase your pass here!
Farmers Market Scavenger Hunts
Visit farmers markets with your family or school and see how many things you can find there. Download a printable scavenger hunt handout here.
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Farm to Early Care & Education Institute
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Date: September 6, 2025
Time: 9:00am-4:30pm
Location: Friendly Avenue Christian Preschool 4800 W Friendly Ave, Greensboro, NC 27410
Join us at the Farm to Early Care & Education Institute in the fall! CEFS is happy to honor all the hard work from the Farm to Early Care & Education Local Food Purchasing Collaborative, as well as looking to the future and continuing to incorporate agriculture, farming, and gardening in the lives of children and in childcare development centers.
Learn more and register here.
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This Week in the Garden
@ Preschool
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See what's happening
preschool edition! |
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