How Do We Support & Grow Farm to School? A Conversation with Essential Ingredients Podcast

“School meals are part of the education day.” –Betsy Rosenbluth

By changing school culture and elevating the school meal experience, we can empower students to see the cafeteria as an extension of the classroom, where they can learn about nutrition, explore new flavors, and take pride in the food that fuels their growing bodies and minds. Justine Reichman of Essential Ingredients podcast speaks with Vermont FEED Director Betsy Rosenbluth about how we can transform the lunchroom into a place of nourishment, community, and joy.

Read on for excerpts, and listen to the full interview below:

Justine: I imagine in every city or every state, [the farm to school programs] may change based on the demographic. How do you tailor the programs for different communities?

Betsy: The whole approach to farm to school [is about integration]. You’re not layering it on top of a crowded curriculum or what schools already have to do. Rather, you’re asking, how does it help you to achieve your goals? And that's the most important adaptation. 

So when we work with other states, or we work with any school, it's understanding their priorities, and then how does farm to school help you them do that? Maybe they really want more parent engagement, or they want to reintroduce indigenous foods, or whatever it might be. We're really about a process that supports people in achieving their goals.

Justine: As part of this advocacy, what challenges do you face while supporting new schools and communities in building farm to school programs?

Betsy: There's so much on schools right now: Labor shortages, staff shortages, and lots of other demands. Whether you're the school nutrition person in the cafeteria, a teacher, or a principal, the thought of one more thing is just too much. So it's hard to get the school's attention. 

It's difficult to overcome the challenges we're in as a system that really doesn’t yet support local food as it should. But once people dip their toe in, they get excited and are able to move forward, especially with the resources and support we can offer.

Justine: What were some of the things that you’re working towards now?

Betsy: We’re always working on making school meals are part of the education day. In some ways, the cafeteria is the biggest classroom. And yet we treat it like kids should just rush through and get out the door to recess. 

One of the things we want to do is change the culture in the lunchroom. In our partnership with Hunger Free Vermont, we decided to work towards universal free breakfast and lunch—but not just any "free" meal, but a delicious, nourishing meal with local food. And a school culture where kids feel a connection to their local farmers through education. It's sort of a tall order.

We call it “Farm Fresh School Meals for All”, and we're working on that nationally. And it's going to take a while to get there. I'm encouraged that at least one of the presidential candidates is talking about universal meals. Who would have ever thought that on a national stage we'd be talking about school meals? But there you are. So I remain hopeful. Eight states around the country, including Vermont, have passed legislation for universal meals, but we still have a long way to go in this country to take away the stigma in the lunchroom and give kids the meals they need to succeed in learning.

Interested in bring farm to school to you community? Applications for our Northeast Farm to School Institute will open in the coming months for New England and New York school, district, and early childhood teams. Our Farm to School Institute Adaptation Program applications open in early November.