4. Create a Menu
Once a school establishes relationships with local farmers, it can create a menu incorporating fresh, seasonal produce. This may involve using new ingredients, such as locally sourced fruits and vegetables, in existing recipes, or creating new dishes that showcase the best of what local farms offer.
5. Educate Your Children
Finally, parents and schools need to educate their children or students about the benefits of farm-to-table lunches and why it is vital to support sustainable agriculture. This can involve creating recipes at home, incorporating food education into the curriculum, and organising taste tests of new dishes through school-wide events and activities.
Bringing farm-to-table to school lunches is a fantastic opportunity to promote healthy eating habits, support sustainable agriculture and build a more resistant food system for students and the food industry.
Benefits of Farm-to-Table School Lunches
There are many benefits to incorporating fresh, locally sourced food into school lunches. Below are some of them:
- Provides nutrients: Fresh seasonal produce is typically more nutritious than processed or packaged food that can be high in added sugars, salt and unhealthy fats. Parents and school management can support students’ overall well-being by providing a balanced diet.
- Reduces carbon emissions: Farm-to-table school lunches are also better for the environment. Sourcing food from local farms minimises the carbon emissions associated with transportation and storage and supports sustainable agriculture practices that prioritise the climate.
- Supports the local economy: Farm-to-table school lunches can support the local economy by providing an important market for small-scale farmers. This can help create a more resilient food system that relies less on large-scale or industrial agriculture.
Support Farm-to-Table School Lunches
Bringing farm-to-table to school lunches is a fantastic opportunity to promote healthy eating habits, support sustainable agriculture and build a more resistant food system for students and the food industry. It may help children look forward to their midday meal each day instead of packing their lunches or complaining about the cafeteria selections.
Jane is the founder and editor-in-chief of Environment.co where she shares practical tips on how to live a greener life.
