Farm to School Program Introduces Students to Fun of Healthy
Eating in Massachusetts Question: What do you get when you cross
a local farm with a group of hungry, curious students? Answer: A
recipe for success! And an appreciation for fresh foods and
healthy lifestyles. Somerville Public Schools (SPS), a richly
diverse urban school district, has successfully embedded a Farm
to School program into its K-12 Food & Nutrition Services
program that has students, parents and school personnel excited.
Sure, there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes to launch a
successful Farm to School program, but by (1) keeping it fun,
and (2) making it real, the SPS quickly addressed what can often
be the most challenging part of introducing healthy initiatives
– getting students to willingly jump on the bandwagon. Take
corn, for example. For those who might have grown up with corn
on the cob as a regular food option, the mere thought of a
sweet, steaming ear of corn for lunch in the fall is enough to
set our taste buds on ful