Lunchtime at St. Joseph's School is an exciting time for the second-grade class. It's harvest day, and they've grown the lettuces for the meal in their hydroponic garden — things like kale and bok choy and butter leaf lettuce.
The lunch menu at the private Catholic school looks similar to the menus at any other school. But the kids are learning that, like the lettuce from the hydroponic garden, many of the ingredients come from close by. Serrao has been the food service director for 12 years, but this year, the school is trying something new, moving toward serving mostly fresh, whole foods, locally produced as much as possible.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm-to-School Census collected information on farm-to-school participation by school food authorities during the 2022-23 school year, finding that nearly two-thirds of school food authorities served local foods during the year and nearly three-quarters did at least one farm-to-school activity. The USDA's Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program, named for the former U.S. senator from Vermont, provides resources for schools that want to incorporate more local products into their meals.
The school feeds about 180 kids a day, from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. And so far, the changes are a big hit with the ones whose opinions matter most — the kids.
Read more at AGWeek