school lunches

Thanks to recent USDA funding, Washington State University’s School of Food Science and WSU Extension will teach food safety to those overseeing public school meals.  The half-million-dollar USDA Food and Nutrition Service award will bring select participants from across the country to the WSU Pullman campus for a week of immersive food science and safety training in the summers of 2025 and 2026. 

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack emphasized USDA’s commitment to connecting local farmers and producers with schools nationwide that serve meals to about 30 million children every school day.  Vilsack, joining others across the country in celebrating National School Lunch Week and National Farm to School Month, pointed to the Department’s recent investment of $500 million for schools to purchase unprocess

The National Dairy Council was founded by America’s farm families and funded by the National Dairy Checkoff.  Katie Bambact, vice president of nutrition affairs for the National Dairy Council, says the NDC has championed child nutrition for over 100 years.  The Coun...

The USDA joined the Education Department and other education, parent, and school meal partner groups last week to celebrate new school meal options as the school year started.  The organizations held a virtual pep rally to celebrate the back-to-school season and thank the champions that educate and nourish our nation’s school children.   “Healt...

Earlier this week, the USDA announced new investments to provide healthy school meals to students.  The Department announced several actions to expand support and access to the school meal program including $50 million in grants to increase collaboration between schools, food producers and suppliers.   ...

A 2012 change in school meal nutrition standards drove changes in the type of foods schools purchased.  According to data released by ERS this week, following the change in standards, schools obtained more fruits and vegetables through USDA Foods and especially through USDA’s Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.  While there w...

Farmers have a big impact on child nutrition across the country.  October is National Farm to School Month, and Diane Pratt-Heavner with the School Nutrition Association says farmers have played a big part in nutritious school meals for a long time.   “...

On Tuesday, the Biden Administration provided $50 million in grants for schools to invest in new food service equipment that will allow them to continue serving nutritious meals.  The funding adds to the $30 million equipment grants the administration gave schools earlier this year.   ...

Many U.S. school food authorities purchase local foods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, and proteins for their district’s cafeterias.  In addition to buying locally produced foods, many school districts participate in other farm to school activities, such as product-specific promotions, taste tests of local foods, onsite edible gardens, and field trips to farms.  Approximately...

As roughly 50 million children return to public schools nationwide in the coming days, a group of farmer and nutrition advocates encourages parents and policymakers to remember dairy.  Dairy advocates say when it comes to the health of students, milk and dairy product options need to be more accessible during the school year.     ...