We have been offering local fruits and vegetables in our school meals and salad bars for over twenty years.
Local Foods Offered Daily
Dairy products come from Lochmead Dairy. Many of the fruits and vegetables offered in meals and on school salad bars come from local area farms, and we use flour from local mills. Our Farm to School program continues to open more avenues to purchase local products to benefit our students in order to offer even healthier meals. The health and nutrition of our area students are of utmost importance and we value the partnerships we have created with our local farms and vendors.
Every school benefits from our Farm to School program at all grade levels, including Tasting Tables, School Gardens in utilizing some of their available produce, and classroom education. Approximately $1 of every $4 in food costs is spent on local foods (including milk).
Meals Include Fresh Fruits, Vegetables and Whole Grains
Our school meals offer students milk, fruits and vegetables, proteins and grains, and they must meet strict limits on saturated fat and portion size. School lunches meet additional standards requiring:
- ½ cup of fruit and/or vegetables and another ½ cup on the meal tray to be considered a full meal
- a wider variety of vegetables, including dark green and red/orange vegetables and legumes
- more whole grains
- separate, age-appropriate calorie limits for three grade groups; K-5, 6-8, and 9-12
- fat-free or 1% milk (flavored milk must be fat-free)
- less sodium
Our staff develop lunch menus on an annual basis and are constantly developing new menu items. We have expanded our Farm to School Program, so fresh, local fruits and vegetables are on our salad bars and part of our breakfast and lunch offerings. You can help by encouraging your child to try new things at home and at school. Also consider joining your student for lunch or breakfast to see what is new.
School meals are a great value and a huge convenience for busy families too. We look forward to welcoming your children to the cafeteria!