Innovator of the year

Foodscapes loves to hear about schools utilizing holistic approaches to providing nutrition and wellness education. That is why we were pleased to hear a school in California utilizing one of our products was identified as having an exceptional nutrition program . El Monte schools in California recently incorporated Foodscapes’ Southwest Bean Burger into their menu and were named innovator of the year. The award came after the school district sought to improve the quality and nutritional content of their menu items. They began incorporating two fruits and vegetables in every meal, while sourcing entrée items that were unique and healthier.

In addition to the healthier menu options, there was a push to engage students in a variety of activities that promoted active and healthy living. They even were able to bring a cow onto school grounds and lecture the students on dairy production! El Monte pushed to involve the students in the decision making. They attended farmers’ markets, grocery store tours, cooking demos, held nutrition related contests, a culinary camp, and a range of other activities related to food and nutrition.

What is particularly impressive is that this was accomplished in a district with 90% of the student population qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. Please join us in congratulating El Monte schools in their success and for promoting innovation!

If you would like to read more, please see Mike Buzalka's article on food-management.com here.