Georgia Peanut Commission Attends Georgia School Nutrition Meeting to Promote Peanut Consumption

The Georgia Peanut Commission attended the Georgia School Nutrition Association’s annual meeting April 20-22 in Jekyll Island, Georgia, to educate school foodservice personnel about peanuts and peanut butter, as well as encourage consumption in schools across the state. During the three-day meeting, school nutrition professionals attended educational seminars, visited with food service industry representatives and received recognition for outstanding performance at their respective schools.

GPC staff, along with Southern Peanut Growers representative, Leslie Wagner and Sherry Coleman Collins, registered dietician and nutritionist with the National Peanut Board, cultivated a lot of discussion on the management of peanut allergies in school foodservice. Collins hosted two educational seminars during the event titled “Can I Serve That?” The seminars focused on how to best manage food allergens so that schools can safely serve students. Her discussion had a special focus on peanuts where she discussed the facts about peanut allergies, the truth behind some common myths and best practices for managing them in the school system.

“Understanding peanut allergies and best management practices is something we feel is important for school systems to be familiar with,” Armond Morris, GPC chairman said. “We appreciate the work our state’s nutrition personnel do to keep peanuts and peanut butter on the menu for Georgia’s school children.”

In the culinary competition, GPC sponsored a peanut recipe contest recognizing GSNA members who developed new peanut and peanut butter quantity recipes to be used in Georgia schools for breakfast, lunch and snacks. GPC also sponsored a peanut usage award given to the school system with the highest per capita consumption of peanuts and peanut butter.

In the breakfast category, Marie May from Lowndes High School in Lowndes County, won first place for her “Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bar” recipe; second place went to Nichole Payne from Harmony Elementary in Gwinnett County for her recipe, “Peanut Berry Smoothie;” and third place went to Dinah Collins with Washington Middle School in Grady County for her recipe, “Peanut Cheweys.”

In the lunch category, first place was awarded to Cheryl Mason from Southside Elementary in Grady County for her “Peanut Butter Chicken Enchiladas” recipe; second place went to Dare Howze from Parker Mathis Learning Center in Lowndes County for her recipe, “Munchie Bars;” and third place went to Julia Thomas from Bright Star Elementary in Douglas County for her recipe, “Peanut Butter French Toast Roll Up.”

In the snack category, Ginger Farmer from Omega Elementary in Tift County took home first place for her “Fun Peanut Dip” recipe; second place was awarded to Carol Winters of Treutlen County School for her recipe, “Peanut Butter Power Cookie;” and third place went to Deborah Watford from Lake Park Elementary in Lowndes County for her recipe, “Peanut Pumpkin Brownies.”

In the peanut usage contest, Treutlen County School System was named the winner for having the highest per capita consumption of peanuts and peanut butter at more than 540 pounds.

All recipe entries were prepared and judged as part of the GSNA Culinary Competition in March 2017 at Rockdale Career Academy in Conyers, Georgia.

The Georgia Peanut Commission represents approximately 3,400 peanut farmers and conducts programs in the areas of research, promotion and education. For additional information on GPC programs and to view the winning recipes mentioned, visit <ahref=”http://www.gapeanuts.com”>www.gapeanuts.com.