PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. -- October is Farm to School Month which celebrates food education, school gardens and lunch trays filled with healthy, local ingredients. This year Pulaski County Special School District teamed up with Chartwells for student nutrition to bring fresh, new options to students and staff at all schools.
To celebrate Farm to School month, a few Chartwells chefs created some fresh recipes for students and families to try at home. It’s part of a new endeavor called “Discovery Kitchen.” Let us know if you give any of them a try!
Autumn Salad with Apples and Cherries
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Vegetarian Quesadillas
Zucchini and Squash Chips
Apple Crumble Overnight Oats Parfait
There are many benefits of learning more about the “farm to school” concept for kids, farmers and the community. There are also numerous cross-sectoral benefits of farm to school activities, including positive impacts on economic development, public health, education, environment and community engagement.
KIDS WIN: Farm to school provides all kids access to nutritious, high-quality, local food so they are ready to learn and grow. Farm to school activities enhance classroom education through hands-on learning related to food, health, agriculture and nutrition.
FARMERS WIN: Farm to school can serve as a significant financial opportunity for farmers, fishers, ranchers, food processors and food manufacturers by opening doors to an institutional market worth billions of dollars
COMMUNITIES WIN: Farm to school benefits everyone from students, teachers and administrators to parents and farmers, providing opportunities to build family and community engagement. Buying from local producers and processors creates new jobs and strengthens the local economy.