By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
PRINCETON — The Princeton Garden Cooperative, a community group that helped bring edible gardens to plots at six Princeton public schools, wants to see fresh produce and local food move from the garden and into school cafeterias.
The group recently presented some actions the district could take to bring healthful local produce and other food products into the schools to the Princeton Regional Board of Education and other leading district officials, some of whom supported the group’s ideas.
”A common goal we share is for us to go to new levels within the cafeteria program,” said Superintendent Judy Wilson, who noted the district has already taken action to improve food quality, such as eliminating the district’s use of a federal lunch program.
An initial step identified by the group, which has the support of the district, is the formation of a Food Advisory Committee.
The committee, which could be modeled on those in other districts such as Hopewell, would provide oversight and guidance for improving the lunch program and facilitate communications with the district’s food provider, Chartwells Food Services,.
One possible menu addition for use in a potential pilot program at a handful of schools is the variety of apples and other food products produced by Lawrence-based Terhune Orchards, according to Diane Landis, coordinator of the Princeton Garden Cooperative.
Ms. Landis said the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District already works with the orchard and other local producers.
Ms. Landis said other candidates include local bread from companies such as Witherspoon Bread Co., or even sushi from local Japanese restaurants.
The district already ships in sushi from New York for use at the high school, Ms. Landis said.
”Why don’t we get it right here?” Ms. Landis asked.
District officials, while supportive of the Princeton Garden Cooperative’s ideas, said, like any program, cost is a concern.
Board President Alan Hegedus and Superintendent Wilson both identified a need for a cost analysis of such a program.
Ms. Landis, while recognizing the district’s position, said there are a growing number of sources of funding for such a program.
She said her organization has identified grants and other funding sources that could help the district defray the costs.
”There are a lot of possibilities out there,” Ms. Landis said.
Another concern among school officials is that the local produce and other food could receive a cool reception from students.
”It is one thing to offer better food, but it is another thing to change teenager’s eating habits,” Mr. Hegedus said.
Ms. Landis, however, said the Princeton Garden Cooperative already has some ideas about how to get kids to try out new foods.
Methods cited by Ms. Landis include a taste-testing program, where small amounts of local produce and food would be provided to students alongside their regular lunch food.
The Princeton Garden Cooperative hopes to use its success in establishing edible gardens at many Princeton public schools as a foundation for working toward getting local foods into the schools.
The group’s work brought gardens to four elementary schools, a middle school and Princeton High School.
The gardens produce food for limited use in school cafeterias and by some local businesses, while serving as educational tools for students studying an array of subjects.
Ms. Landis, and other locals Dorothy Mullen, Fran McManus and Karla Cook, founded the Princeton Garden Cooperative, which has worked in the Princeton area and elsewhere to promote nutrition, garden-based education and farm advocacy.
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