Schools and Child Care Centers

Farm Fresh Initiative Supports Child Nutrition

Texas schools, summer meal programs, and child care centers can connect with local agriculture through the Farm Fresh Initiative, an exciting way to help young Texans develop strong and sustainable connections to local food, farmers and ranchers. The Farm Fresh Initiative also teaches children about local agriculture by adding the regional flavor of Texas products to program meals and snacks.

Spotlight Stories

	Magnolia ISD Recognized for Excellence in the Cafeteria
	Partnership for Success: North East ISD and the San Antonio Food Bank
	Kids R Kids Goes to the Farmers Market for Farm Fresh Challenge

Map of Texas Farm Fresh Producers

Farm Fresh Resources

Schools

Farm to school activities, like Farm Fresh Fridays, provide a solid foundation for establishing lifelong healthy habits, promoting student health and strengthening local economies.
Farm Fresh Fridays: Celebrating Texas Agriculture and Local Products in Schools

Farm Fresh Fridays: Celebrating Texas Agriculture and Local Products in Schools

Farm Fresh Fridays Information Card
Looking for a fun way to celebrate Texas agriculture in your school, child care center or summer meal program? Look no further than Farm Fresh Fridays!
This card introduces a fun way to bring local agriculture to your program. But don’t worry, activities do not have to be limited to Fridays.

Farm Fresh Challenge

TDA issues the Farm Fresh Challenge each year to encourage Texas schools to put more local ingredients on school menus.
Learn more and pledge participation in the challenge here.

Connecting with Local Farmers and Ranchers
Schools can purchase directly from a local farmer or rancher, or a group of farmers and ranchers working together in a cooperative.
Learn more about how to connect with and purchase products from local producers.
Find a producer near you in our Farm Fresh Network.

Seasonality Wheel
Use this interactive tool to identify when Texas-grown fruits and vegetables are in season and where in the state the item is grown.
Explore the new tool today!

Boost Meal Appeal Toolkit for Schools
This resource provides schools the needed tools to appeal to students’ healthier instincts with meals that are attractive and taste great, as well as comply with federal regulations. TDA has collected best practices and planning tools in an easy-to-use format in order to strengthen your child nutrition program and reduce waste. The result – more children embracing the 3E’s of Healthy Living – Education, Exercise and Eating Right, and a stronger Texas.
Go here to connect with this resource.

Keep the Beat! Family Cookbook
This cookbook, developed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, contains more than 40 recipes and focuses on family friendly meals, snacks and recipes designed to get children participating in the kitchen.

Cooking for the Seasons
Recipes in Cooking for the Seasons

Click here for Cooking for the Seasons cookbook

help menu planners meet the meal patterns for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Each food program- NSLP, CACFP, and SFSP, have specific meal patterns. Refer to your program guides when planning your menu to ensure selected recipes credit appropriately for the designated meal component.

The standardized quantity recipes in this cookbook are designed to help you serve healthy, seasonally focused meals that will appeal to your young customers.

All of the recipes have been tested up to 25 servings. The recipes are chef tested and kid approved for taste and appeal.

Child Care Centers

Funding Opportunities Available to Support Farm Fresh Fridays

R eturn to SquareMeals.Org

Assistance available in English and Spanish. Please call 877-TEX-MEAL (877-839-6325) for help.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

Mail:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410

Fax: (202) 690-7442; or

Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.


TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER SID MILLER