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Impact

Impact

Notable impacts and benefits from California Food for California Kids programs.

15,400
Number of nutrition services staff members in our network:

California Thursdays has positively impacted approximately 15,400 nutrition services staff members in our network of 89 districts.

Environmental Benefits:

By serving fresh food, the California Thursdays network reduces the processor’s labor costs, and saves on shipping and packaging.

Packaging alone can represent up to 1/2 of the food cost. School districts save a second time by not having to send that packaging to the landfill.

Source: Rethinking School Lunch pg 40. Mark Zammit.
Teaching Kids Where Their Food Comes from:
69%

of California Thursdays districts participate in Farm to school activities.

31%

have conducted student field trips to farms or orchards.

28%

have had farmers visit the cafeteria, classroom or other school-related settings.

Source: Farm to School Census - School Year 2013-2014

California Thursdays districts contain 59% of the state’s actively reporting school gardens. That’s over 700 schools with instructional school gardens and school-based farms. 32% of respondents in our districts have served products from these programs in the cafeteria

Source: Farm to School Census - School Year 2013-2014
56%

of California Thursdays network districts held taste testing/demonstrations of locally produced foods in the cafeteria, classroom, or other school-related setting. More than 1/3 of our districts included foods from school gardens or school-based farms in school meals.

Source: Farm to School Census - School Year 2013-2014
43%
encouraged local food consumption

Smarter Lunchroom Strategies
43% of California Thursdays nutrition services directors implemented innovative new strategies to encourage student selection and consumption of locally produced foods through product placement, food prompts, and creative signage, while 56% promoted locally produced foods at school with posters and newsletters.

56%
promoted local foods
Source: Farm to School Census - School Year 2013-2014

32% of California Thursdays network districts conducted instructional school gardening or orchard activities as part of a school curriculum, and 28% as part of an after-school program

Source: Farm to School Census - School Year 2013-2014