VALRICO, Fla. — Students in Hillsborough County got a taste of something fresh from Florida in their school lunch on Thursday.
The district’s Student Nutrition Services planned a meal completely sourced from Florida growers, producers, and manufacturers featured at all schools, dubbed Florida Food Day.
“We are serving this meal to all of our students in Hillsborough County,” said Arianne Corbett, a nutritionist with Hillsborough County Public Schools. “We have about 190,000 students in 240 schools, and every student has the opportunity to experience this meal.”
Staff said it’s the first time they’re offering a menu that includes all parts sourced from Florida in their schools.
On the menu was chicken empanadas from Sunsof Corp in Hialieah, fresh strawberries from Wish Farms in Plant City, Mexican street corn from R.C. Hatton in Pahokee, and milk from M&B Products in Temple Terrace. That menu and initiative was highlighted Thursday at Alafia Elementary School in Valrico.
“Local food is so great for everyone involved. We know that our food is more nutritious when it has less travel time. We know that that’s better for the environment,” said Corbett. “We really appreciate the opportunity to use our dollars and put them back and reinvest in our Florida farms, in our Florida businesses, and really the families that make up Hillsborough County Public Schools.”
The district said this is a product of the work of their Farm to School Coalition.
School leaders said they hope this is just the foundation for a larger effort to bring more local foods to schools.
