F2I in the Region
San Diego County School Nutrition Programs See Increased Demand During COVID-19 Pandemic
School nutrition departments across San Diego County are working nonstop to provide nutritious meals to families that are adapting to the shelter-in-place orders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Districts are facing significant challenges to do this, […]
School Nutrition Programs Provide Stability Amidst Pandemic Uncertainty
No-cost meals and friendly service among the core services that have been provided throughout the pandemic, despite the ever-changing landscape
As schools have adapted to the rapidly-changing dynamics of COVID-19, leaving districts fluctuating between in-person and […]
Schools Innovate to Provide Farm to School Activities
Virtual taste tests, home garden kits, and working with local farmers fuels school nutrition programs to keep students engaged.
With all of the limitations faced by schools during the pandemic, thinking creatively about how to keep […]
Top Notch Catering Committed to Sourcing Local Produce for Local Communities
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Top Notch, a nutrition catering company operating in Chula Vista, has provided scratch meals to nonprofits, private schools, charter schools, preschools, Feeding San Diego and the Salvation […]
2019 State of Food System in San Diego Region Report
The Farm to Institution Center is thrilled to be featured in the 2019 State of Food System in San Diego Region report! Please take the time to read this report, as it pertains to how […]
South Bay Union School District Receives Turnip the Beet Award
The USDA recently announced the third annual Turnip the Beet awards, which recognize outstanding summer meal program sponsors who distinguish themselves with high quality meals that are appetizing, appealing, and wholesome. Congratulations to South Bay Union […]
SDUSD fights Food Insecurity
San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) has diverted 482,799 pounds of food from the landfill thanks to their “Love Food, Not Waste” program. The food that could have been wasted, would have resulted in over […]
Farm to School Family Picnic
San Diego, CA | October 2018 – Hundreds of San Diego County residents flocked to Balboa Park on the last Saturday of October to attend the first annual Farm 2 School Family Picnic. The event, produced by local […]
Hydroponic Gardening at Lincoln Elementary
Melody Crook, a 3rd grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary school in Escondido has cultivated an exciting project-based-learning opportunity for her students. After hearing about the different types of gardening during a presentation by Dawn Stone, […]
Chef Ann Foundation Spotlight on Vista Unified School District
Jamie Philips, the Director of Child Nutrition and his team at Vista Unified School District were recognized by the Chef Ann Foundation for their creative ways of taking salad bars to the next level. The […]
Julian School Lunch Hero Video
The Nutrition Services Staff at Julian Union School District put together a video to show their appreciation for their amazing partnership with Jeremy’s on the Hill. Great job Chef Shirley and Donald Hooper from Jeremy’s […]
Healthy Connections Recipe & Nutrition Videos
Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego’s Cheri Fidler, Director of Center for Healthier Communities, along with Mary Beth Schlichtholz, Director of Food Services, and Chef Andrew Bard were featured on KUSI to launch a series of educational videos on […]
Districts name teachers, classified employees of the year
Dawn Stone, a nutrition services specialist at the Escondido Union School District’s Carilyn Gilbert Education Center, has been named as the San Diego County Classified School Employee of the Year for 2018.
She was chosen by […]
Lakeside Union School District Receives Turnip the Beet Award
There are millions of America’s youth who do not have access to nutritious meals when school is not in session. Offering nutritious meals to our nation’s children and teens that are appetizing, appealing and wholesome […]
Vista Unified School District receive 7 Gold HUSSC Awards
Congratulations to Vista Unified School District on receiving seven Gold HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) Awards! These awards recognize excellence in nutrition and physical activity, great job Vista! View Awards Here
Ramona Unified School District’s Compost Program Reaps Big Dividends
March 19, 2018 – The Ramona Unified School District has taken a leap forward in environmental sustainability, creating an innovative food waste prevention and composting program at the Ramona High School campus. […]
San Diego- Area Chef Works to Turn the Tide for Local Seafood
As an adult who wears many hats – mother, grandmother, food services manager at Paradise Valley Hospital near San Diego – Cindy Quinonez has been drawn back into the world of fish by an awareness […]
Good News for the San Diego Food System from Ecology Center, SDFSA, CHIP, and Inika Small Earth
There are so many people fighting for a healthier, more sustainable, more equitable food system in San Diego County, and Edible San Diego shares the good news from The Ecology Center, the San Diego Food System […]
Farmers Markets Visit Every Vista USD Elementary School
Farmers Markets are coming to every elementary school in Vista Unified during the 2017-18 school year. The past several years have seen schools in a rotation to host the event every three years, cycling through […]
County schools making progress in advancing Farm to School activities
Farm to school activities and purchasing of local foods are on the rise in San Diego County school districts, according to the 2015-16 State of Farm to School in San Diego County (State of F2S) […]
Food for Body and Soul
The saying “you are what you eat” may be true. What’s on your plate — along with lifestyle choices, physical activity, genetics and environment — has the power to affect your overall health. In 2011, Sharp HealthCare […]
Vista USD Nutrition Department Honored For Eliminating Food Waste
The 2017 EMIES Unwasted Food Awards honor businesses, organizations, and institutions with exemplary practices around food waste prevention and recovery. The EMIE Awards are designed to honor the legacy of Congressman Bill Emerson, sponsor of the 1996 […]
Top Doctors Celebration 2016
San Diego County hospitals are leading the way in making healthful, sustainable foods and beverages the norm in healthcare systems in California and across the nation.Four hospitals and their executive chefs will be competing in […]
Healthy food powwow
A group of healthcare experts and local food-industry professionals gathered on Monday (March 21) to discuss the link between access to food and overall health and to explore ways to get healthy food […]
Let’s Go Local! Connects Schools with Local Growers
More than 30 San Diego County school districts met with local produce growers and distributors today with the goal of putting more local fruits and vegetables on students’ plates. The “Let’s Go Local!” Produce Showcase […]
Is that a farm on your roof? Agriculture is thriving in some unexpected places
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that 800 million people grow food in and around cities. That’s roughly 20% of the world’s urban population farming in one form or another. Urban agriculture […]
2016 Showcase in Review: Initial Business Results
By Catherine Cochran, Food Systems Intern
Between enjoying live entertainment […]
Business Results from the 2015 Let’s Go Local! Produce Showcase
By Elizabeth Vaughan, Food Systems Coordinator
From Legoland to local hospitals, good food purchasing has increased as a result of the 2015 Let’s Go Local! Produce Showcase. Attendees from the annual Showcase event were surveyed six […]
Don’t Miss The Rendezvous
Community Health Improvement Partners (CHIP) will be hosting our inaugural The Rendezvous on Saturday, September 10, 2016 at the McMillin Companies Event Center at Liberty Station. Please […]
Kaiser grant promotes health in Lemon Grove
Kaiser Permanente presented the Lemon Grove HEAL Zone with a check at the kick off event for phase II of the initiative on July 15th.
The Lemon Grove HEAL Zone initiative began in 2012, when Kaiser […]
Sowing Seeds in Spring: Farm-to-School Grows in San Diego County
By Elizabeth Vaughan, Food Systems Coordinator
It’s been a productive spring season for CHIP Food Systems’s farm-to-school efforts. From scratch cooking techniques to turning kitchen scraps into school garden compost, the Farm-to-School Taskforce (F2ST) continued to […]
An Amazing Month of Farm-to-School in San Diego County
By Colin Cureton, CHIP Food Systems Director
March has been an amazing month of milestones, memorable moments, and media coverage for farm-to-school in San Diego County! Simply put, we are on a roll!
Rather than trying to […]
Brokering Good Food Deals Across San Diego County
By Elizabeth Vaughan, CHIP Food Systems Coordinator
What does that all too loving grandmother and CHIP Food Systems Department have in common? They both love setting people up! This month, in honor of Valentines Day, we […]
NHLT Supports San Diego County Hospitals to Continue Building a Healthy, Sustainable Food System in 2015
By Elizabeth Vaughan and Colin Cureton, CHIP Food Systems Team
California hospitals are leading the way in making healthful, sustainable foods and beverages the norm in […]
Let’s Go Local! Produce Showcase a Success!
By Colin Cureton and Elizabeth Vaughan, CHIP Food Systems Team
White canopies draped with burlap cloth, dozens of farmers standing by proud displays of produce, and people in sunhats smiling wide and admiring brightly colored fruits […]
Let’s Go Local! Produce Showcase just over a week away (10/23, 2-5pm in Encinitas)!
By Colin Cureton, CHIP Food Systems Director
Just over a week from today, dozens of San Diego County farms, produce distributors, sustainable businesses, and food systems advocates will all be showing up in a field in […]
California Thursdays Expanding in San Diego County
By Colin Cureton, CHIP Food Systems Director
The California Thursdays program of the Center for Ecoliteracy is changing the culture and practice of school food.
This year, CHIP is partnering with Center for Ecoliteracy expand participation […]
How CHIP Helps Local Farms Sell to Institutions: The Story of Eden Tropics
By Elizabeth Vaughan, CHIP Food Systems Coordinator
This is a story about the success of an up-and-coming Southern California farm in selling their fresh, local, and sustainable produce to schools, and CHIP’s efforts to get them […]
Summer Outreach to San Diego County Growers & 2015 Crop Availability Chart
By Colin Cureton, CHIP Food Systems Director
This summer, CHIP’s food systems team reached out to hundreds of San Diego County farmers as part of its […]
Farm to School visioning at Vista and Sweetwater
By Colin Cureton, CHIP Food Systems Director
In July of 2015, CHIP facilitated farm-to-school visioning sessions at Vista Unified School District (VUSD) and Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD). The goal of these sessions was to […]
CHIP’s Brew Rendezvous: A food, farm and craft beer pairing event
By Elizabeth Vaughan, CHIP Food Systems Coordinator
Community Health Improvement Partners held their 3rd Annual Brew Rendezvous on May 17, 2015 at […]
CHIP Brings USDA Procurement Training to San Diego County
By Elizabeth Vaughan, CHIP Food Systems Coordinator
You’ve probably heard about school food in the news. But what you don’t hear much about is the complicated bid process and procurement regulations districts navigate in order to […]