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, with departments adapting to new realities daily to keep kids fed. One reality is the increased demand for school meals [...]
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 distanced learning, one aspect of schools’ services has been consistent throughout the pandemic: School Nutrition.
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 students engaged has burst forth across the country. The Farm to School Collective, a gathering of eight San Diego [...]
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 Army. Despite ongoing challenges caused by the pandemic, the Top Notch team continues to prioritize sourcing and incorporating superior local [...]
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 we can support our local food system within San Diego County. Read Full Article
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 School District for reeving the Gold Turnip the Beet Award! Turnip the Beet winners are perfect examples of how [...]
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 262,000 pounds of carbon emissions, but instead it was used to help provide more than 402,000 meals to the [...]
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 nonprofit Community Health Improvement Partners (CHIP), and its Farm To Institution Center, saw families celebrate the growing Farm to School [...]
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, the Nutrition Services Specialist at Escondido Union School District, Melody sprouted the idea of bringing Hydroponic Gardening into the [...]
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 team continues to engage the school community by creating events like "Fear Factor" that increase the willingness of students [...]
