If our students are well nourished, their bodies and minds are ready to learn. School nutrition programs are as fundamental to student success as laptops, textbooks, and soccer balls, yet they are often overlooked as an essential part of the education day.
Partnering school meal programs with farm to school programs is an effective way to improve meal quality, increase participation and connect students with the source of their food and the nourishment it provides. This “virtuous cycle” also creates new local markets for farmers and improves local economies and food security. Close to 80% of Vermont schools have at least some farm to school activity, and yet there is much more opportunity for growth. This guide outlines how Vermont schools feed our children and how farm to school programs can improve those meals.
