Schools

How do other countries feed their children compared to the USA?

Click here: Eat Local Grown Article on French Schoo Lunches Versus USA

And for more inspiration watch Food Beware:The French Food Revolution http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1319645/

Thank you for being interested in making a difference for your community!

Thanks to Teens Turning Green here is an overview of:

Ten Steps HOW to Transition Your School to a Conscious Kitchen.

The Conscious Kitchen was founded to rebuild the food systems in school dining halls based on six foundational terms:

fresh, local, organic, seasonal, non-GMO, and zero waste.

Forming the core of this community driven initiative these terms guide our fundamental principles to nourish the health
and wellness of our next generations.

For the full details go to: http://www.teensturninggreen.org/the-conscious-kitchen/

We hope by providing this overview you can see it is doable, just one step at a time. You don't need to need to know how to do this or have experience. Moms Across America recommends buying food with seals from both Non GMO Project Verified AND Organic. One source for local, sustainable food is www.eatlocalgrown.com

All it takes is one person willing to be the one to say "This shall happen."  Then others will support.

1. Organize Your Team 

Create a food policy committee that includes teachers, faculty, staff, students, parents, at least one professional chef and interested community members.

2. Do Your Research
Assess the state of your school’s food program by considering the follow questions:

3. Establish Strategic Connections and Partnerships
Identify key stakeholders who have an interest and/or passion for healthy school food and communities:

4. Determine a Realistic Timeline
Consider each aspect of the project: staff, budget, menus, equipment, etc. and determine how long will it take
to develop the infrastructure.

5. Establish Your Budget
Food, Meal Plans, Staff, Equipment

6. Develop Your Proposal and Work To Get Approval

Create a thorough proposal that includes a mission, overview, timeline, budget, etc. 

7. Build Capacity
Reach out to key stakeholders who might be willing/able to support your program. 

9. Make Ambiance and Aesthetics a Priority
Think about how the cafeteria can embody a more peaceful, beautiful, and welcoming atmosphere during
mealtimes. Get creative!

10. Opening Day
Plan a celebration to acknowledge all that has been accomplished
Once you have a successful food program in place, think about opportunities to embed food literacy into
curriculum through garden, nutrition, and cooking programs – connecting garden to the table.

The Conscious Kitchen Team is here to help! [email protected]

Moms Across America would like to thank Judi Shils, her daughter and friends for being the champions for Conscious Kitchens in America and beyond. Your dreams, action, dedication, and results are creating a world we are proud to raise our children in to be leaders. THANK YOU.

If you know a school which has transitioned or  are willing to take the first step to transition your school to a Conscious Kitchen, please comment below with your city, state and zip code! We are going to be contributing to a map with Teens Turning Green so we can see the schools with Conscious Kitchens all across America!

Zen Honeycutt and MAA Team