Farm to School: March 2025 Newsletter

Mar 10

March into Nutrition Month

On behalf of the Region Roots Local Farm and Food Hub and the NWI Food Council, I extend my heartfelt commendation to school food service professionals, school leaders, and staff across the state. Your dedication to advancing student-informed, freshly prepared, nutritious school meals, featuring locally grown, whole, or minimally processed ingredients, is truly remarkable. The sheer volume of meals and snacks you provide has a tremendous impact on our students' well-being. I wholeheartedly encourage you to celebrate and communicate your achievements, both large and small, during National Nutrition Month and National School Breakfast Week.

March is National Nutrition Month, and this year’s theme, ‘Food Connects Us,’ resonates deeply with our mission. Food is a powerful connector, linking us to our health, families, friends, schools, culture, the environment, and so much more. School meals offer a unique opportunity for students to connect with each other, and your thoughtfully crafted menus and engaging cafeteria environments provide invaluable learning experiences. Through these meals, students can explore the origins of their food, learn about diverse cultures, understand the environmental impact of their choices, and build meaningful connections with the dedicated nutrition professionals who prepare their meals. You are fostering curiosity, promoting understanding, and cultivating a generation that values the power of food to bring us all together.

In the Spotlight This Month: Laporte Community School Corporation

LaPorte High School is starting the day off right with a delicious and locally sourced twist on a breakfast favorite! Students are enjoying hearty breakfast burritos featuring savory pork sausage from Fischer Farms, a proud local producer. This partnership brings the fresh, high-quality flavors of Indiana directly to the school cafeteria, supporting local agriculture while providing students with a nutritious and satisfying morning meal. By choosing Fischer Farms pork, LaPorte Schools are not only ensuring a delicious breakfast, but also strengthening the connection between students and their local food system. It’s a win-win: happy students and thriving local farms!

*Photo Credit: LaPorte Community Schools Food Service*

*Photo Credit: LaPorte Community Schools Food Service - Lincoln Elementary*

LaPorte Community School Corporation invites students to crack the case of the most important meal of the day. They are celebrating National School Breakfast Week (March 3rd-7th) with the theme, 'Clue In to School Breakfast.' The corporation is revealing the secret to a successful school day: a nutritious and delicious breakfast. Students are encouraged to join them to 'Clue In' to all the tasty and energizing options available. It’s not just breakfast; it's the key to unlocking their full potential.

Herb Fun Facts

Herb vs. Spice: A Botanical Distinction:

The fundamental difference between an herb and a spice lies n the plant or part used. Herbs generally refer to fresh or dried leaves of a plant, while spices come from other parts, such as seeds, roots, bark, fruits, or flowers.
Coriander/Cilantro for example:
- Coriandum sativum is a perfect illustration. The vibrant green leaves, known as cilantro offer a fresh, citrusy flavor.
- The dried seeds, coriander, have a warm, nutty, and slightly citrusy profile, used extensively in cuisines worldwide.

Indiana’s Mint Mastery:

Indiana’s fertile soils and favorable climate make it a prime location for cultivating spearmint and peppermint.
Indiana is among the top producers of these mints in the United States.

<<< FEATURED RECIPES >>>

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES

Attention all corn connoisseurs and future cob champions! Indiana Food Day is coming, and it's going to be a-MAIZE-ing! Thanks to our friends at Indiana Grown for Schools, we're celebrating the mighty ear of corn in all its buttery, sweet glory. corn recipes to fill a silo! Don't be a-maized if your students start speaking fluent corn. Get ready to embrace the golden harvest and join the corn-ival! Indiana Grown for Schools has all the info to join this cornucopia of fun!

Ready to dig into some delicious learning? Indiana Grown for Schools is launching a Harvest of the Month Pilot Program, and it's your school's chance to become taste-bud trailblazers! We're talking a monthly adventure into the world of Indiana's freshest produce. we're getting hands-on with seasonal stars! Each month, your students will get to explore, taste, and learn about a new harvest, from juicy apples to crunchy carrots. It's like a delicious science experiment, but with more flavor and less beakers! Get ready to grow your knowledge and your appetite. Check out Indiana Grown for Schools for how to join this tasty pilot program!

Join the second Farm to Summer celebration called Season Your Summer! The theme for this year's educational initiative focuses on exploring different locally grown herbs that spice up the daily meals. Participation in this initiative is voluntary, easy, and open to all sponsors, including agencies operating non-congregate meal service sites. Sponsors may choose to implement this initiative at one or several summer meal sites.

UPCOMING EVENT

You're invited to our Region Roots Farm Fest at The Design Barn on March 10th from 5-8 PM for an evening of celebrating all things local food! Join farmers, chefs, school food service directors, food entrepreneurs, and wholesale buyers to network and celebrate our region's talent and farm-fresh goodness.

This in-person event is the perfect opportunity to connect with local farmers, learn about their offerings for the 2025 season, and indulge in delicious farm-fresh treats while enjoying live demos and music.

RSVP HERE!

RESOURCES

Local Food for Schools Child Care (LFSCC)

Indiana has successfully administered the 2022 LFS program and we are excited to celebrate additional funding from the USDA. As we create the roadmap moving forward, we would like to collect information to help guide our process. Please take a few minutes to complete the following SURVEY.

Farm to School Office Hours

Join Farm to School Coordinators from the Indiana Grown for Schools Network and other farm to school and early care stakeholders each month to discuss and find answers to your questions related to local foods. Farm to school office hours are on the third Wednesday of each month from 3:30 - 4:30 PM ET. You can request a monthly calendar hold by emailing Brianna Goode at bgoode@health.in.gov