At Iowa City Community School District, learning doesn’t take a lunch break. The food service team works hard to keep education alive in the cafeteria with the help of the Field to Family Food Hub.
“I grew up on a farm and I know where my food comes from,” nutrition services director Alison Demory said. “We’re committed to helping all of our students have that knowledge. It’s such a win-win when we can source from farmers and shine a light on their efforts.”
The schools source and serve a wide variety of kid-friendly local produce in the summer and fall, making sure to let the students and families know about local options on the menu through signage, labelling and face-to-face conversation when possible.
Iowa City schools’ commitment to local foods has grown greatly under Demory’s leadership. Last year, the district was the Field to Family Food Hub’s top customer. Despite the challenges of 2020, they’ve continued to prioritize serving locals for lunch, offering local options in cafeterias and curbside. On October 14, the schools will celebrate the annual Iowa Local Food Day “holiday” with local yogurt, apples and sweet potatoes.
Nutrition, of course, is an important reason why. Fruits and vegetables should be a major part of every diet, and schools are required by law to serve produce with every meal.
“We could check the box by putting any kind of fruit or vegetable in front of them, but if it goes in the trash, no one wins,” Demory said.
The local options on the ICCSD menu are not only more nutritious than commodity options, but they often look more appetizing, too. Demory said her team makes sure to prepare them attractively to give students a compelling reason to eat their veggies. A fresh slice of Stout’s Market melon or a shiny Wilson’s Orchard apple is hard to pass up.
“Sometimes the look is all you need,” Demory said. “You eat with your eyes.”
Sometimes looks aren’t enough, however, which is where the cafeteria’s educational role comes into play. Demory gushed about the colorful heirloom tomatoes the schools source, primarily from Friendly Farm, but said students–and even staff– have been confused by their appearance, even questioning whether some of the darkest fruits have gone bad.
In reality, the colorful tomatoes showcase the diversity of local food and offer a chance for students to learn about less common veggies. By procuring a wide range of crops, from ultra familiar apples to those more untraditional varieties, Demory is able to expose students to healthy options they might not get at home.
“As a school, we have an obligation to teach students what a healthy diet should look like,” she said.
Demory said the Field to Family Food Hub has been vital in allowing the schools to procure the quantity and variety of local produce they do, and that she doesn’t believe the district could procure so much without it. The Hub helps coordinate with farmers to make sure they grow enough to meet the districts’ demand, provides super simple online ordering options and delivers products right to the dock.
“We just so appreciate the partnership and their help,” Demory said.