From Garden to Cafeteria

Serving garden grown veggies in school lunch or breakfast is becoming more and more popular. The goal is not that the garden is meant to be the soul source for veggie production, but rather to reinforce the connection to the soil that sustains us all. Some school food service directors have even been known to pay the garden program for the produce they use in the school meal. Just think how proud those little gardeners feel.

Before you make your plans to offer up school garden grown goodness for school lunch check out the following resources from Healthy School Environment.org

Serving School Garden Grown Produce in the Cafeteria

• tips for food safety in the garden
• management bulletins on purchasing school garden produce and supplies using food service funds
• sample school garden produce use policy from other districts/regions
• sample wellness policy language to link school garden food to cafeteria 
   

See 5th grade teacher Judy Honerkamp and Lunch Lady Amy talk about making the garden to cafeteria connection. This video is a part of the Farm to School District Profile page.