Farm to School – TrayTalk.org

Composting in Montana Cafeterias

With several elementary schools in Bozeman School District 7 (Montana) successfully composting for a few years, the district’s nutrition department teamed up with a local business to bring composting to all 12 of its cafeterias and central kitchen facility this year.

Since the start of this school year, more than 27,000 pounds of food scraps have been collected and diverted from the landfill. The nutrition department now uses biodegradable paper products that can also be composted.

School Lunch in a Coastal Maine Community

In between the healthy versions of tried-and-true kid favorites, menus at Maine’s RSU 23 feature specials to rival local lunch hot spots. Students can choose dishes including Chicken Bahn Mi style whole grain rice bowls and featured entree salads, like this month’s Autumn Salad of grilled chicken, cinnamon roasted butternut squash, goat cheese, blueberries and sunflower seeds over mixed greens with homemade maple balsamic dressing. The Food and Nutrition Services team prides itself on including made-in-Maine foods on breakfast and lunch menus every day for its 700 students in three schools along the pristine Maine coastline of Old Orchard Beach.

‘Takeover Tuesday’ Nutrition Lessons in Georgia Schools

The Bartow County School System nutrition department is finding creative ways to educate GA students about where their food comes from. With weekly ‘Takeover Tuesday’ lessons, they’re working to engage students on everything from taking care of chickens to learning about pollinators and edible gardens.

“Each week at a different school, the nutrition department hosts ‘Takeover Tuesday’ events where we participate in educational lessons and enhance the farm-to-school experience for the students,” said Jessica Chandler, School Nutrition Program Specialist for Bartow County School System.

Seattle Schools Source Salmon from Native American Tribe

Many school nutrition programs were forced to take a closer look at how they operate and where they source their food following pandemic-related supply chain challenges. For Seattle Public Schools (WA), that meant new opportunities to consider local sources to supplement shortages. Through assistance from Seattle’s Office of Sustainability & Environment (OSE), the district now serves locally caught salmon for lunch several times a year from Muckleshoot Seafood Products, a company owned by the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.

Historic Farm in Delaware Maintained by School District

A unique partnership between Penn Farm in Northern Delaware and the nutrition department of Colonial School District provides urban students opportunities to learn about farming and fresh produce for school meals.

The farmland, which dates dates back to the 1700s, is leased from the land trustees for use by William Penn High School agricultural and culinary programs. The land is maintained year round by the school district, with vegetables grown for use by the nutrition department in menus.

Growing a School Garden Program in Wisconsin

Students at two Madison Metropolitan School District (WI) elementary schools have benefitted from local partnerships to help grow their garden program, with an added bonus of more fresh food for school lunches. The students started lettuce crops in their classrooms and finished growing them in a community garden to enjoy at lunch.

“The first time we served the lettuce as part of a side salad, it was great to hear the students say they could taste the difference,” said Chef Joshua Perkins, Director of Food Nutrition Madison Metropolitan School District.

Field Trips to Texas Nutrition Department

Elementary school students in Texas are learning all about eating healthy through Aldine Independent School District (ISD) Child Nutrition Service’s program called “Learn, Grow, Cook.” The field trip for students in fourth and fifth grades takes them from their school to the nutrition department’s offices at M.B. Sonny Donaldson Child Nutrition Center where they visit the nutrition department’s classroom, garden and kitchen in a three-part experience.

School Menu Trends to Watch

Before the school bell rings in the new year, school nutrition professionals gathered in Denver for the nation’s largest school food show to stay on top of what’s trending for menus. Plant-based options, spicy flavors and global dishes topped new offerings with grab-and-go breakfasts and customizable lunches still popular. In addition to food trends, school meal program operators discussed new and different ways to encourage students to choose school meals, a consistent source of nutritious, balanced options. School meals are provided free for all students in some states – Maine, Minnesota, Michigan, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Vermont.

Learning Extends to the Lunchroom in Minnesota

The cafeterias of Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools (MN) not only serve nutritious foods, they also work to offer students experiential learning opportunities in the cafeteria. The nutrition program introduces students to culturally relevant foods through a monthly program and has developed a life skills lesson component to a coffee delivery program at the high school. Through regular sampling in the cafeteria, events with local farmers and student gardens, the nutrition program engages students of all different ages in nutrition education.

Working toward zero waste in the cafeteria

One Florida school district has been making great strides toward its goal to reduce the amount of waste it sends to the local landfills. Alachua County Food & Nutrition Services is enlisting its youngest community members to help get there!

Students at Stephen Foster Elementary School separate their lunch leftovers and trash for compost and recycling, with some food scraps repurposed to feed pigs at a local farm. The Food & Nutrition Services department received a grant from the State of Florida to launch its new accelerated composting system.