School Honored For Incorporating Farm Produce Into Kids' Meals

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Once again, the Southampton Union Free School District has been honored for its work to integrate local farm products into its school meal program.

Both the Southampton Union Free School District and the East End Farm to School Project were recently awarded the Farm to School Partnership Award for finding and incorporating local produce into kids' meals at the Southampton, Bridgehampton and Tuckahoe school districts, officials said in a release.

“This award is a testament to the hard work put in by the Southampton School District’s food services director, Regan Kiembock, and her team, who work tirelessly to provide our students with fresh and healthy local foods,” Superintendent of Schools Nicholas Dyno said.

The award is the second that recognizes the district for facilitating a farm-to-school movement. In 2008, Southampton was recognized for collaborating with local farms, and in 2016, it was awarded a $98,000 farm-to-school grant makes it possible for the district to partner with the Bridgehampton and Tuckahoe school districts to further the farm-to-school initiative.

With the grant, the district has worked to increase the amount of local produce in its schools’ cafeterias. Along with offering healthier meals for the 700 to 800 students who buy lunch every day, the initiative is also educating students about healthy food choices and options, district officials said.

“We look at the cafeteria as a classroom,” said Kiembock. “We can teach students about healthy eating and the choices available.”

For example, the district has begun to offer grain- and grass-fed burgers to students and has been holding monthly tastings where students sample local foods transformed into culinary offerings that include gingered carrots, local kale and garlic pesto, apple salads, and butternut squash mac and cheese. In addition, the district has provided specialty chef and vegetation training to its cafeteria staff, officials said.

Patch photo courtesy Southampton Union Free School District.