Cooking with California Food in K-12 Schools

http://www.ecoliteracy.org/cooking-with-california-food

The Center for Ecoliteracy, in partnership with TomKat Charitable Trust, presents Cooking with California Food in K–12 Schools, an inspiring cookbook and guide to menu planning co-written by award-winning cookbook authors Georgeanne Brennan and Ann M. Evans.

Cooking with California Food introduces the concept of the dynamic 6-5-4 School Lunch Matrix, based on six dishes students know and love, five ethnic flavor profiles, and four seasons. It offers ideas for adding more fresh, local, healthy foods to school lunches; helps meal services devise an appealing variety of menus around dishes that children already prefer; honors California’s rich history and cultural heritage; and describes a tested plan for effective professional development for food services staff.

Download the complete cookbook  12mb

Increasing the amount of fresh, locally sourced fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and other nutritious foods in school lunches is a goal of many school districts and of the United States Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program. The nearly 900 million meals served annually in California schools today present 900 million opportunities to create positive systemic change. After all, what better way is there to build healthy lifelong eating habits, support student well-being, and promote our economy and environment than by offering delicious, appealing meals that celebrate our agricultural abundance and rich cultures?
Healthy students learn better and achieve more. Changing how we grow, process, and prepare food impacts issues from health care costs to climate change, energy and resource conservation, and community vitality. The billions of dollars devoted to providing healthier school meals will boost California agriculture, invigorate local economies, and promote equity.

	Nutrition Education Cards and Hospitality Training for School Nutrition Services Staff This kit contains 20 color cards of fruits and vegetables, with nutritional and agricultural facts to help food services staff educate students about healthy choices. It also contains resources for staff professional development. Download complete kit in English 3.5mb