“Encouraging young people to eat fresh fruits and vegetables early in life enables them to develop healthy habits that can continue on to adulthood,” said Dr. Katie Wilson, executive director of the Urban School Food Alliance. “Alliance districts have worked hard to prepare innovative produce-based dishes for students to enjoy. Studies show that when students eat nutritious and delicious foods in school, the more likely they are to be successful in the classroom.”
Fresh Attitude Week celebrations have helped raise the popularity of produce in school meals. The Alliance districts (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Miami-Dade, Orange County [Orlando], Broward County [Fort Lauderdale], Philadelphia, Baltimore and Boston) have been successful in increasing fresh produce consumption among its nearly 3.3 million students during Fresh Attitude Week. Last year, for example, Alliance districts served 12.3 million servings of fresh fruits and vegetables during Fresh Attitude Week alone.
“Congratulations on Fresh Attitude Week 2019,” said President Laurent Grandin of Interfel. “We are really happy to share this experience with the Alliance as the event celebrates its fifth anniversary. We wish the Alliance the best in this work especially with the children and we look forward to hearing more about the highlights of the week.”
For Fresh Attitude Week, Alliance districts will conduct the following activities to highlight fresh produce in school meals:
- Highlight seasonal produce during breakfast and lunch
- Feature salads with new vegetable offerings
- Perform chef cooking demonstrations at school sites
- Host local farmers visits to educate students about “farm-to-school” efforts
- Showcase food art in dining rooms
- Offer fresh and healthy recipes ideas
- Conduct open houses for local media outlets to capture Fresh Attitude Week activities
About the Urban School Food Alliance
The Urban School Food Alliance was created by school food professionals in 2012 to address the unique needs of the nation’s largest school districts. The nonprofit group allows the districts to share best practices and leverage their purchasing power to continue to drive quality up and costs down while incorporating sound environmental practices. New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Miami-Dade, Orange County (Orlando), Broward County (Fort Lauderdale), Philadelphia, Baltimore and Boston together offer service to nearly 3.3 million children daily. This translates to more than 584 million meals a year. The coalition aims to ensure that all public school students across the nation receive healthy, nutritious meals through socially responsible practices. To learn more about the Urban School Food Alliance or to support its work, please visit www.urbanschoolfoodalliance.org.
About Interfel
Interfel (French Inter-Branch Association of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables) is the lead promotional organization for fresh fruits and vegetables in France, representing all aspects of the sector from production to distribution, including school canteens and education in schools. www.lesfruitsetlegumesfrais.com / www.interfel.com
Join the Conversation
Latest News
The latest news and headlines from Urban School Food Alliance
Plastic Free Lunch Day expands, honors Cafeteria Culture founder Debby Lee Cohen
Apr 17, 2024
In their continuing effort to free school cafeterias from single-use plastics, Cafeteria Culture and the Urban...
Plastic Free Lunch Day returns with a week of action April 17 – 24
Mar 20, 2024
In 2022, the Urban School Food Alliance joined Cafeteria Culture in hosting the first ever Plastic Free Lunch...
Urban School Food Alliance joins panel at BeanCon24
Mar 1, 2024
Dr. Katie Wilson virtually attended BeanCon24, a global dry bean conference, to represent the Urban School Food...