Nov 12, 2024
Topic: Updates
Among the many improvements that Community Consolidated School District 21 has made to its food service program over the past year is a lesser-known partnership that promises to supply students and staff with fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
The district and food service management provider OrganicLife first approached The Common Market Great Lakes, a nonprofit regional food distributor, a couple of years ago as it was beginning to spread its roots in the Great Lakes region. The distributor aims to connect urban communities with local food from sustainable family farms, based in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan..
“We were looking to offer our students options that are not currently available through the Department of Defense [and its Food Distribution Program] but would be available through The Common Market,” said Allison Brown, senior district manager for OrganicLife. The district made these purchases in partnership with The Common Market with funding support from the USDA’s Local Food for Schools (LFS) Cooperative Agreement Program.
“We are excited to see LFS open doors for schools to incorporate more fresh, locally sourced foods into their cafeterias–we are impressed by CCSD21’s commitment to connecting their students to high-quality, nourishing meals and we are proud to support their local food goals,” shared Eliana Pinilla, partnership director at The Common Market Great Lakes.
The fruits (and vegetables) of the partnership emerged last week, as the district received Fuji apples from an orchard in Illinois; Jonagold apples and Bosc pears from a farm in Michigan; portobello and white button mushrooms, red potatoes, and sweet potatoes from three farms in Wisconsin; and zucchini and sweet mini peppers from a farm in Indiana.
The mushrooms and red potatoes served as the basis for the district’s Meatless Monday option across all schools on September 30: veggie fajitas. The pears were served as part of the breakfast option that morning, and the zucchini and sweet mini peppers were used in a recipe later in the week.
While fruits and vegetables made up the entirety of the inaugural order, the partnership provides a wider array of locally sourced ingredients. According to Brown, future offerings could include dairy options – such as freshly made yogurt – and meat options from local farms.
“This ensures that we are not only supporting regional agriculture, but also providing students with diverse, nutritious meal components,” Brown added. “By incorporating dairy and meat into our orders, we can offer a more balanced and wholesome menu that reflects our commitment to sustainable, farm-to-table practices.”