School District to Host “Florida Crunch” Events in Celebration of National Farm to School Month
Students from the School District’s Agriculture and Food & Natural Resources Programs will commemorate National Farm to School Month on October 25th and November 30th by participating in the annual Florida Crunch. The students will be tasting produce from a Florida grower, a local community garden, and their own school gardens. The tasting will feature romaine lettuce, dragon fruit, sugar cane, Barbados cherries, and sweet potatoes.
The classroom-based event will be an opportunity for students to celebrate the first harvest of the year by tasting the produce they grow in the school gardens and will highlight their leadership and involvement in Farm to School (F2S). In the School District, F2S focuses on school gardens, which allows the Food and Nutrition Services Department to diversify their procurement strategy and strengthen the nutritional value of school meals.
“Our goal is to expose as many students as we can to fresh produce grown right in their home state – including school gardens.” said Amy Carroll, Registered Dietitian and Coordinator of Special Projects for Food & Nutrition Services in Lee County schools. “Participating in Florida Crunch events raises awareness of Florida-grown produce and healthy eating by highlighting fruits and vegetables for students to learn about and sample in a taste test.”
The Crunch Events will take place at the following locations:
Wednesday, October 25:
- East Lee County High School
- 715 Thomas Sherwin Ave, Lehigh Acres, FL 33974
- 7:30 a.m. to 1:35 p.m.
Thursday, November 30:
- Trafalgar Middle School
- 2120 Trafalgar Pkwy, Cape Coral, FL 33991
- 8:35 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Florida Crunch is held in partnership with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension (UF/IFAS) Family Nutrition Program (FNP), and the Lee County School District - Healthy Living Collaboration (HLC).
National Farm to School Month occurs each October to highlight the importance of farm to school programs such as school gardens, nutrition education, and the sourcing of local products for school lunches. These programs help to improve child nutrition, support local economies, and educate children about the origins of their food.
For more information and resources on National Farm to School Month, visit FarmtoSchool.org