"I've been, of course, very worried about climate change and very worried about public education and I know that food has got the power to make change. I thought about school lunch and how it could be done affordably, and how we could change from buying food from a distributor that's coming, basically, from around the world and instead do what Chez Panisse did way back when and buy food directly from the farmers."
"It comes at a timely moment: Cafeteria food is an ongoing subject of political debate, especially in Waters's home state of California, which has new legislation that will phase certain ultra-processed foods out of school meals in California and also sets parameters around what ingredients can be served. Here, Waters explains why the meals we serve to public school students matter and why it's worth rethinking how school food is sourced."
The Edible Schoolyard Project teaches schoolchildren gardening, stewardship, and cooking, increasing access to fresh, local produce in schools. The project pairs recipes and hands-on education with a farm-to-school procurement model that replaces distant distributors and middlemen. Direct purchasing aims to pay farmers the real cost, encourage regenerative and organic production, and supply seasonal, affordable meals. New California legislation limiting ultra-processed ingredients creates an opening for cafeterias to shift toward local sourcing. Connecting schools and farmers can improve student nutrition, support farmer livelihoods, and integrate food education into public schooling.
Read at Eater
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