Planning the Menu

Incorporating local foods into the menu doesn’t have to be a challenge! With a solid plan, you’ll be able to create menus with ease and limit waste.

Schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program should incorporate local foods into their menus in ways that coordinate with the school nutrition guidelines.

There are many resources for food service directors to use when planning menu items that use local foods:

Fresh vegetable cups prepared for the National School Lunch Program at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Va.

Fresh, local vegetable cups prepared for the National School Lunch Program at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia.

You can also check out our Mighty Mini Videos for guidance on using local foods in your menu:

 

Click here to download the materials from this presentation.

 


The Illinois growing season slows down considerably in the cold, winter months. If you’re wondering how you can extend local food items through the winter season, check out this presentation:

Click here to download the materials from this presentation.

 


Check out the history of school lunches in the U.S. and how you can join the movement back to from-scratch cooking in lunchrooms in this video presentation:

Clickhere to download the materials for this presentation.

 


If your school needs support, including:

  • Skills training for staff,
  • Reorganization of kitchens, serving lines and cafeterias,
  • Adding equipment and small wares,
  • Recipes and food production technical assistance,
  • Incorporating scratch cooking or fresh prep,
  • Preserving the harvest: processing & storing summer fruits and veggies,
  • Adding or updating salad bars,
  • And, much more!

Contact the Illinois Farm to School Network. We have the tools and technical assistance to assist you!