Schools Prepare for Home Grown School Lunch Week
Posted: September 7, 2011
The Northeast Iowa Food & Fitness Initiative invites your school to participate in Home Grown School Lunch Week, September 19-23, 2011.
What Is Home Grown School Lunch Week?
It's a week celebrating local foods! School food service directors will offer local items on the lunch menus during the week. Nutrition education information will be provided to students, and teachers will receive lessons focused on nutrition and the benefits of using Iowa grown foods.
How can schools get involved?
Have students develop and implement school-based activities:
- Advertise and promote Iowa Home Grown School Lunch Week.
- Serve a locally grown food item one day—or every day.
- Promote a different Iowa grown food each day of the week.
- Invite parents and grandparents to eat lunch with their child.
- Taste test new foods for the school lunch menu.
- Hold a Health and Nutrition Fair or Family Fun Night.
- Have students trace the path of a favorite food from the field to plate.
- Assemble a display of books and media in libraries.
- Produce a class cookbook showcasing Iowa products.
- Make apple cider, apple butter, applesauce, or maple syrup.
- Arrange a field trip to a participating local farm.
- Invite a local farmer to come to speak with students.
- Invite a chef to do a cooking demonstration using local foods.
- Have nutritionists visit the classroom.
- Have students produce a calendar of seasonal availability of foods
How do we register our school?
The Northeast Iowa Food & Fitness Initiative is providing food service equipment grants ($300 value) to 20 schools who participate in Home Grown School Lunch Week. Here is what you need to do to receive this gift!
- Register Early! Click here to complete the registration form. You will be asked to submit the lunch menu and any planned activities for the week. Schools will receive notice if they are enrolled in the program.
- Complete the NE IA School Food Survey.
- After the event, submit a final report which includes audience reached, activities conducted, audience feedback of the event, and at least 3 photos.
- Match is required. Submit copies of invoices for $300 in local food purchases since August 1, 2011.
Applications due September 15. For additional information, please contact Teresa Wiemerslage at 563-794-0599.
