Essay
Farm-to-table school lunch programs can benefit students in Minnesota in a variety of ways. The Minnesota Department of Education claims that farm-to-school “empowers and connects children and their families to local foods through education and hands-on learning to make informed food choices, while strengthening the local economy, building sustainable and equitable food systems and contributing to vibrant communities” (Farm to School and Early Care, n.d.). Farm-to-school programs benefit students as well as farmers. By connecting schools with local farms, children are provided quality, fresh food and farmers are provided with another potential source of income. Another way that farm-to-school programs help students is by impacting their health. Farm-to school programs “increase the number of fruits and vegetables kids eat as well as knowledge of nutrition and willingness to try new fruits and vegetables” (“Farm to School Basics,” 2022). Students are exposed to foods they may have never had the opportunity to try, and they become more accustomed to new, healthier foods than traditional school lunches.
However, there are also difficulties to farm-to-school programs. Making fresh meals “requires significant investment and, in many areas, an overhaul of how school kitchens have operated for decades” (Gecker, 2023). In some cases, school cafeterias are not equipped to use a farm-to-school program. School kitchens can lack the equipment needed to make fresh food, since school lunches have been primarily pre-made. In order to provide schools, the proper equipment, a school district would have to spend money to purchase what would be needed. School districts do not have the money in their budget to do this and would have to receive additional governmental funding. Additional challenges of farm-to-school programs include “availability of products, budget constraints, finding farmers to purchase from” and “delivery/distribution challenges to get local foods to school buildings” (McKee & Shields-Cutler, 2024). These logistical barriers can deter schools from participating in a farm-to-school program. In order to overcome these hurdles, school districts would need employee’s time and effort in planning and preparation.
