From Local Farms to Fallsburg Cafeterias: NY Thursdays Bring Fresh Flavors to Students
The Fallsburg Central School District is bringing fresh, locally sourced ingredients to the lunch table through its monthly NY Thursday initiative, highlighting New York State agriculture while introducing students to delicious new meals!
This month's menu features Peruvian Chicken, Roasted Potato Wedges, Arroz Chaufa (Peruvian-style fried rice), fresh fruit, and milk. But behind this flavorful meal is an even more exciting story of collaboration, professional development, and a shared passion for improving school nutrition.
On August 31, Fallsburg's Food Service team participated in a full-day Regional Roots Scratch Cooking training, coordinated by Regional Farm to School Coordinator Katie Sheehan Lopez of Cornell Cooperative Extension. The training was sponsored by the New York State Education Department's Child Nutrition Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension.
The goal was to help food service staff transition from traditional heat-and-serve meals toward preparing fresh, nutritious dishes from scratch using locally sourced ingredients.
Dara Williams, our Fallsburg School Lunch Coordinator and one of the leaders behind the initiative, has long been an advocate for Farm to School programming and recognized the importance of providing staff with the training and confidence needed to make this transition.
During the training, staff worked together to prepare a meal using local products and a recipe provided by Brigaid, an organization that supports scratch cooking in school kitchens.
The experience was such a success that the Food Service team wanted to recreate the meal for students throughout the district, and that's exactly what they did!
The featured meal showcases ingredients from regional producers, including chicken from Campanelli Poultry in Kenoza Lake, NY, red potatoes from Orange County, and regionally sourced ingredients incorporated into the Arroz Chaufa.
Beyond introducing new flavors, NY Thursday creates opportunities to support local agriculture, expand scratch cooking practices, and connect students with the food grown and produced in their region.
Fallsburg Central School District is proud to recognize the dedication of its Food Service team and the community partnerships helping bring these meals to life.
From local farms to our students' lunch trays, this initiative is a wonderful example of our community working together to nourish and inspire the next generation!