Farm to School
Find out how Somerville is helping students make the connection between what we grow and what we eat.
Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program Weekly Menu
Several district schools receive a Free Fruit or Vegetable Snack in the mornings to support healthy eating and expose them to a wide variety of delicious and fresh produce. Thanks you to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Students for supporting the grant funding for this program.
Our Featured Vegetable of the Month
January: Root Vegetables
February: Cabbage
March: Leafy Greens
April: Broccoli
May: Spring Greens
June: Peas and Beans
July: Tomato
August: Summer Squash and Zucchini
September: Peppers
October: Corn
November: Winter Squash and Pumpkins
December: Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes
Vegetable of the Month Nutrition Info & Recipe Sources
Partners and Resources
Good education requires strong partnerships between school, community and families. Students are more likely to make healthy eating choices if they have opportunities to make good choices at school and at home, and connect to food sources. The Somerville Food and Nutrition Services Department works the following partners to encourage families to learn more about helping children make healthy food choices:
Tufts University
UMass Extension Nutrition Program - offers classroom nutrition instruction linked to food service improvements and Shape Up Somerville goals
Our Gardening Partner
Groundwork Somerville - GWS's mission is to bring about the sustained regeneration, improvement and management of the physical environment through the development of community-based partnerships which empower people, businesses and organizations to promote environmental, economic and social well-being. GWS helps manage the school gardens.
Resources
Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools
Chop Chop magazine
John C. Stalker Institute
Massachusetts Farm to School Project
School Nutrition Association
USDA Food and Nutrition Service
Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children - Chef Ann Cooper