Serving Fresh, Local Food Daily!

We are thrilled to announce that this fall, our Food and Nutrition Services department is Eat Real certified at the green tier. This achievement demonstrates our unwavering commitment to serving nutritious, fresh and high-quality  meals that support the health and well-being of our students. 

During the certification process, Eat Real evaluated our program against their ten standards, which go well beyond federal and state child nutrition program regulations. These standards assess the nutrition and the sustainability of the food we serve, such as procuring local ingredients, minimizing processing of the foods we serve, and managing food waste. We are proud to have met and exceeded these standards. 

Here are some examples of the impact on student meals:

• Local sourcing: 78% of our fresh produce comes from small to midsize farms (thanks in large part to our partnership with Spork Foodhub), 24% is from local area farmers. 16% of this sourcing is from certified organic producers such as Homegrown and Tomatero. This helps to support sustainable agriculture and provide fresher options for students.
• Minimal Processing: On average, 44% of breakfast and lunch menu components across primary and secondary menus are made using minimally processed ingredients, supporting healthier choices for students. We are proud of the ingredients we use and the effort we put into the Plateful Made dishes, including, but not limited to, Bean and Cheese Nachos, Blueberry Coffee Cake, Grilled Cheese, and Elote Salad.
• Menu Variety - An average of 12 unique entree choices are offered on the primary lunch menus and an average of 17 unique entree choices are offered on the secondary lunch menus across a week, giving students ample opportunities to enjoy nutritious meals.

We are committed to continually improving our nutrition program and providing healthy and delicious meals to our students. Read more about our Eat Real certification and Eat Real’s mission to nourish the future by increasing school kids’ access to the delicious, nutritious, planet-sustaining food they need to thrive. For more information about WPUSD’s Eat Real certification, visit the Eat Real blog.