Turnip the Beet Awards - 2024 Winners Announced
The Turnip the Beet Award recognizes outstanding summer meal program sponsors across the nation who work hard to offer high quality meals to children that are appetizing, appealing, and nutritious during the summer months. This year, 199 sponsors across the country qualified for either a gold, silver, or bronze Turnip the Beet award. All four Wisconsin sponsors that were nominated received Gold! Congratulations to all! For more information visit the Turnip the Beet Website.
Wisconsin 2024 Award Winners
Gold Winners
Green Bay School District
Stevens Point School District
Pittsville School District
La Crosse Family YMCA
Celebrate Cucumber Crunch
Celebrate summer by participating in the Cucumber Crunch! This is a simple, celebratory event to promote local foods and farm to summer. Pick any date this summer and have staff and children crunch into local cucumbers. If cucumbers are not available during your summer programming, choose another local, in-season fruit or vegetable to crunch! Make your Crunch count by registering your event!
Resources
Cucumber Crunch Stickers - We are now out of stickers! Please use the template to create your own.
Activities
- Crossword Puzzle
- Crossword Puzzle Answers and Resources
- Connect the Dots
- Easy Refrigerator Pickles Activity
- Food + Farm Exploration Center – Ag Readers and Lessons
- Living Necklace (use cucumber seeds)
- University of Wisconsin - Madison Division of Extension Harvest of the Month
- Wisconsin Grown and Raised Cucumber Fact Sheet
Videos
- Farm to School: Cucumbers (REAP Food Group)
- What Are Pickles? The Science of Food! SciShow Kids
- The Magic School Bus – In a Pickle
Books
Local Sourcing Information: utilize the resources below to locate local farmers/producers who may be able to source for your Crunch.
- Wisconsin Local Food Database: Find Farmers - find a list of local food producers that sell to schools by location. Look for the Cucumber Crunch logo next to producers who grow cucumbers!
- REAP Farm Fresh Atlas - database to find local products, farmers' markets, CSAs and more.
- Wisconsin Berry & Vegetable Growers Association - find berry and vegetable growers and see what is in season.
- Wisconsin Farmers Market Association – locate farmers markets near you.
Recipes All recipes are scaled to serve approximately 50 students.
Promotion Share photos and videos of your Crunch in the following ways:
- Advertise your event on social media, using the following hashtags: #WICucumberCrunch #SummerMeals
- Send photos and videos of your Crunch to DPIFNS@dpi.wi.gov
- Producer Highlight Poster: Utilize this poster to share details about the farmer who supplied the local cucumbers or in-season produce for your event. Email brittany.zerbe@dpi.wi.gov to request printed copies of the poster.
Summer Meals Week - June 16 - 20, 2025
This week is Summer Meals Week, an important time to emphasize the Department of Public Instruction’s commitment to ensure children and teens have access to safe, nutritious meals when school lets out. Through the Summer Food Service Program, federal assistance is provided for state agencies and non-profit sponsors to help children in eligible high-need areas get the proper nutrition they need during the summer when schools are not in session.
Below are links to the proclamations from Governor Tony Evers and State Superintendent Jill Underly recognizing June 16 - 20, 2025, as Summer Meals Week. These proclamations acknowledge the significant contributions of programs that provide nutritious and well-balanced meals and snacks as part of the Summer Meal programs.
State Superintendent Proclamation
Posters
Social Media Posts
Social Media Posts with QR Code
Activities