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Farmers Serve Up School Lunch

By Kathyrn R. Satterfield

Students at Washington Elementary School in Fayetteville, Arkansas, can't wait to eat their vegetables and fruits. On a recent Wednesday, Washington's cafeteria buzzed with excitement as kids enjoyed sweet cherry tomatoes and slices of juicy watermelon.

The school is taste-testing a farm-to-school program that brings fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables to the cafeteria. It is the first of its kind in the state. Leigh Anne Robinson, 9, likes the fresh take on lunch. "When I bought lunch at school before, I just picked at the vegetables," she told TFK. "Who knows how long they'd been sitting at the store." If students continue to eat it up, the program will spread throughout the district.

The National Farm to School Program says that at least 400 school districts in 23 states are serving farm-fresh foods for lunch. The movement sprouted in Florida and California in the late 1990s. Since then, farm-fresh programs have cropped up in schools across the country. Not only is this approach good for kids, but buying from area farmers helps keep the local economy healthy too.

Doug Davis, the food-service director for schools in Burlington, Vermont, launched the city's program in 2003. Last year, Burlington's students ate 10% to 20% more vegetables than they did when the program began.

Part of his success, Davis says, is bringing farmers into the classroom and getting kids to help with recipes. After a while, the taste of fresher produce sells itself. "Yes, it's good for you," he says. "But a tomato picked this morning will taste better than a tomato picked (far away) and put on a truck."

Next: Top 5 Favorite Vegetables