Mission Nutrition
Four out of five St. Paul Schools kids can't be wrong: Jean Ronnei runs a program that is nutritious, kid friendly, fiscally responsible AND boasts an 80 percent participation rate. Read more in this Food Management article.

School salad days are here to stay

The StarTribune reports how school lunch menus are becoming a front line in the campaign against childhood obesity. Photos of St. Paul students and the Expanded Choice Bar are featured.

School Cafeterias make efforts to buy from local farms
A few school districts in Minnesota have been recognized recently for their efforts in creating healthier, more locally grown meals for school lunches. In March, St. Paul Schools will complete its 18 month pilot program in finding new and innovative ways to create a more local, sustainable and healthy school lunch program.

Local Pupils, Local Food
The Saint Paul Pioneer Press opinion page had good things to say about Saint Paul Nutrition Services' Farm to School program on November 13. (scroll down to see editorial)

USDA: St. Paul Public Schools 'Pioneers' in Farm-to-School Programs
U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan visited Nutrition Services to learn more about the successes and challenges in offering locally-grown products.

After cheese bread, learning begins
Read about Wellstone Elementary's Breakfast to Go program in this Saint Paul Pioneer Press article.

Health and Your Environment: School
This Minnesota Public Radio story profiles Jackson Elementary and the steps the school is taking to fight the twin childhood epidemics of obesity and diabetes.

Splendid Table
Host Lynne Rossetto Kasper looks at school lunch programs through the eyes of a lunch lady on the October 3 show.

Local Delights in the Lunchroom
Nutrition Services' efforts are highlighted in this Star Tribune article about locally grown items on cafeteria menus.

School Lunch Staff Bring Nutrition to the Table
Cafeteria food is supposed to be healthy — and cheap. But it's getting harder to be both, unless you get creative.

Partnering to Feed Hungry Kids
Nutrition Services served 75,000 free meals at St. Paul Park and Rec centers this summer. Mayor Chris Coleman recognizes the importance of this effort in this article from the East Side Review.

Fixing Lunch
St. Paul Public Schools' central kitchen and from-scratch meals are highlighted in this article from theatlantic.com and referenced on this City Pages blog.

St. Paul steps up Farm-to-School initiative
St. Paul Public Schools received a Kellogg Foundation grant to participate in the School Food FOCUS Project, a network of large urban school districts working to include locally and sustainably-produced foods in their lunch programs.

Great Grains: Grains bring an increasingly exotic flair to non-commercial cafeterias.
Saint Paul Nutrition Services is one of the organizations profiled in this Food Service Director article.

Can this lunch be saved?
A respected Twin Cities chef leaves the professional kitchen and heads back to school in this Minnesota Parent story.