Soybeans have made a debut on the lunch menu at Riverside County elementary schools.

Edamame, or soybeans, are part of the Temecula Valley Unified School District's healthy-eating Harvest of the Month program for kids. Harvest of the Month is a statewide campaign to increase student access to fruits and vegetables and knowledge of California produce. December's offering was supposed to be sweet potatoes, but Temecula district nutrition director Nancy Craig decided to go with soybeans. She says her granddaughter, who's in kindergarten, took them to school as a snack and she thought the kids would like them.

Source: Associated Press

PARENT HELP AVAILABLE

The Parent Information Resource Center program is a nationwide effort designed to build successful family involvement in education as parents move beyond traditional activities, such as helping children with homework, toward a shared responsibility for school improvement. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement, the program generally focuses on projects serving parents of low-income, minority and limited English proficient children in elementary and secondary schools. To locate a center in your area, visit the National PIRC Coordination Center's Web site at www.nationalpirc.org for the directory.

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