Sunday, March 4, 2012

Searching for a New School District and School Lunch

Americans move -- a lot!  Almost 15% of the entire population moves annually and families are the most likely to move a long distance.

Sometimes people have a choice where they live, sometimes they are looking in a narrower handful of miles.  But if you have kids, you probably will ask a realtor or employer where the best schools are for your children.  Best is usually defined by standardized test scores or education philosophy.  But what about food?

Most schools offer their lunch choices online.  As I have perused our area schools, I have noticed a wide variance in the quality of food within each district -- and really, none of them in our immediate area are spectacular.  I have even found a school who contracted with Arby's and Pizza Hut to weekly supply a lunch!

In just a little research, I was able to uncover two school districts that are doing well in nourishing their children and educating them.  Both happen to be from California school districts, but there are many across the country -- seemingly most existing on the East and West coasts.

  1. The first example is from the Novato Unified School District in Marin County, California.  Their lunch menu looks a bit better than in our area.  They feature a vegetable and fruit every month, offer salads daily and partner with Marin Organic to supply their food needs with local organic produce.
  2. The second example is Oceanside Unified School District in San Diego County, California.  The menu and healthy lifestyle promotion is prevalent throughout their web site.  The also feature daily salads, meatless Mondays, vegetarian options, and fresh fruit.  They also serve their food on biodegradable trays and use biodegradable utensils.  They have partnered with www.leanandgreenkids.org to enhance their food program.

What kids eat is as important as what they learn.  When looking for a great school district for your kids, you may want to consider visiting the cafeteria too.

Do you live in a great school district that offers nutritious meals?  Tell us about it!

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