The Capital Public Radio program "Insight" ran a segment this week on successful efforts in Davis to put fresh, healthful fruits and vegetables in school cafeterias. On the program, UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program food systems analyst Gail Feenstra answered the questions of guest host David Watts Barton.
Feenstra said that the ability to offer local produce in Davis schools is linked to last year's passage of Measure Q, a parcel tax which allocates $70,000 per year to improve children's nutrition by providing farm fresh food for school lunches, according to a summary on davisfarmtoschool.org.
The fresh food lunches are part of an effort to help Davis children connect their food with its agricultural origin, rather than perpetuate a misconception that "food comes from the grocery store."
"We feel that by providing the students food from local sources, talking to them, school gardens and farm tours, they will make that connection," Feenstra said on the radio program.
Feenstra also said that, with additional grant funding, the project enlisted a consultant to provide monthly cooking lessons to school food service staff. The consultant is teaching the staff how to combine local, fresh ingredients with the commodity foods provided by the USDA to create meals kids will enjoy.
"They have gotten so excited by the program," Feenstra said. "They're making Mexican and Indian and Asian and Mediterranean items using the resources of their ethnic heritage. It's been a wonderful development."
More information on bringing healthful food to school cafeterias can be found on the UC Farm-to-School Program Web site.
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