Celebrity Chef Rudy Poindexter of the Food Network’s “Chopped” Will Be On-Site Demonstrating Food Preparation

On Oct. 18, parents of Broward County Public Schools students are invited to participate in the school district’s Parent Food Show at Gator Run Elementary School, located at 1101 Glades Parkway in Weston.

Parents will gather from 6–8 p.m. at the school, to taste featured menu items. Chef Poindexter will perform a cooking demonstration, emphasizing the importance of healthy and fun recipes, and that food needs to look enticing for students to try it.

He will also emphasize his “try it once rule,” to explain that students need to try everything at least once, so they can experience various types of foods and work a healthy and diverse diet into their daily routines.

“Our Parent Food Show affords parents a wonderful opportunity to sample and provide feedback on some of our current menu items, including various vegetarian dishes,” said Darlene Moppert, MS, RD, program manager and licensed nutritionist with the BCPS Food & Nutrition Services.

The USDA regulates what is served in schools, mandating the offering of appropriate servings of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low fat milks and high quality proteins. BCPS registered dietitians review the nutritional stats for new recipes and products served to our students.

Broward County Schools Food and Nutrition Services encourages students to “Power Up!” with healthy and nutritious meals during the school day. The Broward County School District alone serves nearly 150,000 school lunches every day.

District Food and Nutrition Services administrators will be present at each food station to explain each item and its nutritional benefits and answer any questions.

ABOUT BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

“Committed to educating all students to reach their highest potential.”

Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) is the sixth largest school district in the nation and the second largest in the state of Florida. BCPS is Florida’s first fully accredited school system since 1962. BCPS has over 271,000 students and approximately 175,000 adult students in 236 schools, centers and technical colleges, and 101 charter schools. BCPS serves a diverse student population, with students representing 208 different countries and 181 different languages. To learn more, visit browardschools.com. Follow BCPS Food & Nutrition Services on Twitter @BCPSFNS and Facebook at facebook.com/BrowardSchoolsFAN, and download the free BCPS mobile app.