Schools Encouraged To Offer Local Foods

Dec. 16, 2024 Editor, The News-Gazette: It’s well known that food served in school cafeterias doesn’t appeal to children, so much so that this is a stereotype.

While attending school here in Rockbridge, I was aware of the benefits of eating fresh fruit and vegetables. I consistently saw posters about how you need to eat five servings a day, and the school provided them. Students complained about these options, however, and they often went wasted.

The National School Lunch Program makes sure schools provide nutritious food, but there are no guidelines on the quality or source of the food, so much of it travels long distances and is heavily processed. Serving more locally sourced food in cafeterias would give students access to healthier food, decrease plate waste and teach them the benefits of eating locally.

Locally grown food is fresher, tastes better, retains more nutrients and contains less pesticides than food that travels long distances. Eating locally also reduces CO2 emissions because it doesn’t travel as far, and it preserves green space.

Children may not want to try local food, however, because many kids associate produce with low quality cafeteria food, so they may not realize fresh local food is more palatable.

I remember in middle school one day during health class, a guest speaker made a smoothie of fresh bananas, spinach, yogurt, and berries and let everyone have some. I, as well as many of the other students, enjoyed this smoothie and noticed the ingredients used were of higher quality than cafeteria food. This demonstrates how food quality can significantly impact how kids perceive food.

Regularly providing fresh local produce in health classes and the cafeteria as well as educating students about the benefits of eating locally could encourage students to eat more local produce. This could influence eating habits not just in the cafeteria but also in the long term. Showing children the benefits of eating locally in school could create eating habits that they continue for the rest of their lives. ELAINE PRICE Fairfield