Local Schools Eating Local Foods; Food Conference March 15
The Record-Eagle has this report on how local schools are increasing their uses of local foods to feed their students.
"Janis Groomes knows what it takes to convince kids to eat their vegetables. Locally grown cucumbers, parsnips, squash, asparagus and kale have all been used in meals at Northport Public School, where Groomes is food service director. "(It's) always a challenge to get an elementary student to eat a green bean — whether it's fresh or frozen or canned," she said. "You have to sell the product."
"A 2008 farm-to-school conference inspired Groomes to connect with local farmers and follow some of the fresh, local food ideas used by other school districts.
"She plans to attend another farm-to-school conference this month with a group of Northport teachers and students. "Farm to School: Setting the Table for Wellness" takes place March 15 at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Acme. The event is organized by the Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District and the Michigan Land Use Institute. Diane Conners, the institute's senior policy specialist for food and farming, expects several hundred people to attend representing the region's schools, camps, community and health groups and farmers."Gene Peyerk, food service director and chef at Glen Lake Community Schools, had an idea for area schools to compile well-received cafeteria recipes into a cookbook. The regional farm-to-school cookbook will be available online. Peyerk said it would be a helpful resource if schools contribute one or two items they make from scratch. Challenges to school cooking include the need to expand recipes to feed large numbers and the limited equipment in some school kitchens, Peyerk said. "There was a lot of interest in trying to get back to scratch-cooking and better tasting food," he said."
To read the full article, click here.
For more on the conference, click here.
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