eval report cover.indd - New Jersey Farm to School Network Wiki

Review of Farm to School Evaluation Literaturewas reduced by 47%, with an estimated savings of $2,800 for the school year. AtPioneer Elementary, waste reduction was estimated at 50% for the school year,with savings of $3,430. 87Impacts on food service staffFood service staff is a specifi c segment of the school population that is integral to thesuccess of the farm to school effort. In general, farm to school programs are ultimatelydirected towards impacting school food service purchasing and serving behaviors andthereby what is served in school cafeterias, though this aspect is often not written inas an objective of the program. However, not only does a successful farm to schoolprogram facilitate changes to overall school food service operations, it often improvesthe knowledge, awareness and interest of school food service staff towards local foods,agriculture and healthy recipes. Anecdotal evidence is available of improved moraleand job satisfaction of food service and kitchen workers participating in a farm to schoolprogram.►►Feedback from participants at food service professional development workshopsconducted through BTV-VT revealed that 35% of food service professionals feltthat they had increased their knowledge about local foods for school meals; 35%agreed that they had increased their knowledge of diff e rent recipes to makenutritious meals in schools; 29% reported that they would plan to interact morewith teachers at their school sites; and 52% stated that using local foods in schoolmeals was very important. 14,46As a result of taste tests conducted in the BTV-VT program, food service staffhave slowly started integrating new local foods in the school cafeteria menus:raw vegetables are offered in sandwiches and salad bars, prepared items servedon the monthly menu include minestrone soup, cinnamon apple sauce, yogurtparfaits with granola, chicken Caesar salad and pesto pasta. Samosas and calzonesare prepared off site by a local business and served on occasion duringlunch.48 Bearing Fruit: Farm to School Evaluation Resources and Recommendations