Welcome to the first Harvest of the Month: Eggplant!

Eggplant will be available at your school on Monday, October 12th.

What to do?

  1. Contact your teacher to schedule a time for your tasting.
  2. Check with your teacher if any students have food allergies.
  3. Take the Harvest of the Month home and prepare them for your tasting! There are many recipe ideas included in the handouts, but you can always keep it simple.
  4. Look over the curriculum and plan key education nuggets you think your class will enjoy.
  5. Return the green canvas bag the produce came in to the pick up location.

Resources

Fun questionseggplant labeled with skin, stem, flesh and seeds

  • Have you ever tried eggplant? What did it taste like?
  • Is eggplant a fruit or a veggie? (It’s actually a fruit.)
  • What colors can eggplants be? (Purple, white, green, and even striped.)
  • Do they grow underground? (Nope! They grow on a bush.)

Why eggplant is awesome

  • Lots of fiber to keep your tummy happy!
  • Vitamins that help you grow strong!
  • Potassium to power your muscles!
  • Antioxidants that protect your body like tiny superheroes!
  • Try it on pizza, in pasta, or as yummy baked chips!

Botanical facts

  • Scientific name: Solanum Melongena
  • Family: Solanaceae
  • Classification: Fruit Vegetable or Nightshade Vegetable

Produce tips

  • Keep eggplant on the counter for up to 4 days in a paper bag.
  • Put it in the fridge to keep it fresh for up to 1 week!

Eggplant fun facts

  • They’re called “eggplants” because old varieties looked like eggs
  • The biggest eggplant ever weighed 12 pounds — that’s like a bowling ball
  • Eggplant skin can be used to make purple dye for clothes
  • They come in purple, white, green, and even striped
  • California grows almost 900 acres of eggplant every year
  • Eggplants love sunshine — they need 6 to 8 hours a day
  • They grow best when it’s warm, between 70 and 85 degrees.
  • People first grew eggplants in China over 2,000 years ago
  • For a long time, people only grew them as pretty plants — not food
  • Now we eat them all over the world. Yay!

Eggplant recipes

Eggplant Pizza Bites

  • 1 medium eggplant (sliced into rounds)
  • ½ cup marinara sauce
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Mini pepperoni or veggies for topping
  • A sprinkle of Italian seasoning

Directions:

  1. Slice the eggplant into circles and lay them on a baking sheet.
  2. Spread sauce on each slice, then add cheese and toppings!
  3. Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Yum!

Check out these other great recipes