FEBRUARY 2027
Embedded Files
The preschool at Lincoln uses a slightly different menu for breakfast because they eat in their classrooms and have different food needs than the older children.
This is a link to our Gluten Free alrenative menu for pk-5. These are for those with Gluten issues as documented by the district via the pproved Medical Authorizatuon form which can be found on the button menu on our home page.
Students at KSS order their GF choice at breakfast or choose the GF items available daily.
30 FREE OR LOW-COST IDEAS FOR LOUISIANA
Geography & Louisiana Life
1. Find Louisiana! – Put a map of the United States in classrooms and have students locate Louisiana, its capital (Baton Rouge), and New Orleans.
2. Mississippi River Connection – Learn how the Mississippi River helped Louisiana become a major center for shipping, trade, fishing, and agriculture.
3. Louisiana's Neighboring States – Have students identify Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and the Gulf of Mexico on a map.
4. Bayou Wildlife – Research Louisiana wildlife: alligators, nutria, pelicans, crawfish, herons, and egrets.
5. What Is a Bayou? – Explore what a bayou is and how people, plants, and animals depend on these waterways.
Food & Agriculture
6. Crawfish Country – Learn how crawfish are farmed and harvested in Louisiana. Compare crawfish to Minnesota crayfish.
7. Louisiana Rice – Discover why Louisiana is a major rice-producing state. Compare Louisiana rice production with Minnesota wild rice.
8. The Mighty Sugarcane – Learn how sugarcane is grown, harvested, and processed into sugar.
9. Gumbo 101 – Investigate the origins of gumbo and the cultural influences that helped create this Louisiana classic.
10. The Holy Trinity – Introduce students to the Cajun and Creole cooking combination of onions, celery, and bell peppers.
11. Louisiana Seafood – Explore Louisiana's fishing industry, including shrimp, oysters, crabs, and crawfish.
12. What's a Beignet? – Learn about this famous New Orleans pastry and its French origins.
13. Spice It Up! – Introduce Cajun seasoning, paprika, cayenne, garlic, and other flavors commonly used in Louisiana cooking.
14. Farm to Cafeteria: Louisiana Edition – Have students research which Louisiana crops and ingredients could potentially be used in Minnesota school meals.
15. Taste Test Challenge – Offer a small taste of an ingredient used in Louisiana cooking and let students vote on their favorite.
History & Culture
16. Mardi Gras Mystery – Explain the history of Mardi Gras, why it is celebrated, and what the traditional colors purple, green, and gold represent.
17. French Louisiana – Explore how French settlers influenced Louisiana's language, food, architecture, and traditions.
18. Cajun vs. Creole – Learn the differences between Cajun and Creole culture, including their food traditions.
19. Jazz Comes from New Orleans – Introduce students to Louis Armstrong and the history of jazz music.
20. Second Line Parade – Explain the New Orleans second-line tradition. Have students create a paper parade or classroom procession.
21. Louisiana's Indigenous Roots – Learn about Louisiana's Indigenous nations, including the Chitimacha, Houma, and Tunica-Biloxi.
22. French Words in Louisiana – Teach students a few Louisiana French and Cajun French expressions, such as bonjour, merci, and laissez les bons temps rouler.
23. Louisiana State Symbols – Research the brown pelican (state bird), magnolia (state flower), and bald cypress (state tree).
Fun Cafeteria Connections
24. Louisiana Music Minute – Play a short clip of jazz, zydeco, or Cajun music during lunch.
25. Louisiana Trivia Tuesday – Post one Louisiana trivia question on the cafeteria TVs each day leading up to the meal.
26. Design Your Own Mardi Gras Mask – Have students create paper Mardi Gras masks using purple, green, and gold.
27. Louisiana Word of the Day – Introduce words such as bayou, gumbo, jambalaya, lagniappe (a little something extra), and fais do-do (a Cajun dance party).
28. Louisiana Restaurant Challenge – Have students develop a Louisiana-inspired school lunch menu using USDA meal-pattern requirements.
29. Build a Louisiana Food Map – Students place pictures or names of Louisiana foods on a state map, identifying where ingredients are grown, harvested, or popular.
30. What Did You Learn? Exit Ticket – Ask students to write down one new thing they learned about Louisiana while eating their Taste the States meal.
INDIGENOUS INGREDIENT INSPIRED RECIPE
OUR VISION IS TO REKINDLE AND EMPOWER INDIGENOUS FOOD SOVEREIGNTY
OUR VISION IS TO REKINDLE AND EMPOWER INDIGENOUS FOOD SOVEREIGNTY
NATIFS works to cultivate the seeds of Indigenous heritage, nourish our people, and honor the land that sustains us.
Over the past two decades there has been an increasing focus on Native foods. Chef Sean Sherman has been at the forefront of this movement - addressing economic and health crises affecting Native communities by re-establishing Native foodways.
The impact of this work led to a growing call from across the country for assistance with tribal food sovereignty projects.
In response, North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS) was born with a goal to generate wealth and improve health in Native communities through food-related enterprises.
FRUIT AND VEGGIE OF THE MONTH
FEATURED SCRATCH ITEM OF THE MONTH
COMING SOON!
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