Schools in Blount County Experiment with Growing their Lunch

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Schools across the country are revamping their lunch menus to better reflect the updated federal nutrition standards. Some schools are going above and beyond the standards and making huge strides to serve healthy, delicious food to students.

In Blount County, Tennessee, schools are experimenting with growing their own fresh produce for school lunch. Agriculture teacher Mike Whitehead’s classes piloted the program last year at William Blount High School and William Blount Ninth Grade Academy. Since the program started, the cafeteria has gradually increased its produce orders to meet student demand, said manager Yvonne Buchanan in a news article.

Currently, students grow fresh produce for six cafeterias: Mary Blount Elementary School, Friendsville Elementary School, Union Grove Elementary School, Union Grove Middle School, William Blount High School and William Blount Ninth Grade Academy.

Schools in the district are also experimenting with reducing food waste through a “share table,” a table where kids can leave unwanted food in hopes that someone else might pick it up.

Read more in The Daily Times.