TONAWANDA, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets has announced that the Ken-Ton School District Food Service Department will receive a significant two-year grant of $100,000 through the Farm-to-School Program. This funding aims to strengthen the district’s connection between local farms and schools, encouraging the use of locally sourced products and fostering awareness among students about the origins of their food. The initiative is designed to promote healthier eating habits within the student population.
Ken-Ton is one of 16 recipients of this grant across New York State, reflecting the program’s commitment to enhancing long-term sustainability and impact in farm-to-school initiatives. The funding will provide students with valuable opportunities to learn about local agriculture, understand the food system, and increase their access to fresh, healthy food sourced from nearby farms.
Innovative Educational Programs to Foster Healthy Eating Habits
With the grant, the Ken-Ton School District plans to implement several new initiatives aimed at enriching students’ understanding of food sources. These include the introduction of new menu items, recipe demonstrations, taste tests in both cafeterias and classrooms and the distribution of family cook kits. Additionally, family food events will be organized to further engage the community. Kim Roll, the Director of the Ken-Ton School District Food Service Department, and Nicole Zugelder, the Farm-to-School Coordinator, are leading these efforts.
Zugelder emphasized the importance of connecting students with their food, noting that many of them are generations removed from agricultural work and lack knowledge about where their food comes from. “Most of the students are four generations removed from working on a farm. They don’t have a deep connection with the food they are eating,” she stated. To bridge this gap, Zugelder is actively visiting classrooms to educate students about food origins, including recent lessons on the life cycle of pumpkins, from seed to pie.
Harvest of the Month Program to Engage Students
A cornerstone of this initiative is the Harvest of the Month program, which introduces a new theme each month that inspires a healthy recipe for school lunches. For October, the featured dish is a broccoli salad made with dried cranberries, cheddar cheese, red onion, and honey yogurt dressing. Leading up to the menu changes, Zugelder travels throughout the district to educate students about the highlighted ingredient. She conducts recipe presentations using specially designed demonstration tables, allowing students to sample the dishes and provide feedback.
In addition to tastings, each month will also include a themed cook kit for students to take home, extending the educational experience beyond the classroom. For instance, in September, students at Franklin Elementary received free baked apple cook kits containing fresh apples, butter, and cinnamon, accompanied by recipes and preparation instructions.
Both Roll and Zugelder have noted a positive shift in student engagement with the food program. “Students are much more likely to try a new menu item when they’ve already tasted it and learned about it,” Roll explained. This initiative has led to increased participation in the school breakfast and lunch programs, helping students develop healthier eating habits and a preference for locally sourced products.
