Empowering mindful eaters

The Somerville Farm to School Project has a new logo! This design was inspired by our tagline: EMPOWERING MINDFUL EATERS! As a project of the Food and Nutrition Services Department of the Somerville Public Schools we work closely with kitchen staff, educators and community based organizations to provide good food inspiration and education to students and parents so that Somerville's youth can eat well all day long- both in school and at home.

GROW, COOK, EAT, REPEAT
Through food literacy programs in our cafeterias, classrooms and communities, students will acquire the tools to make informed decisions about personal and environmental health. From the garden to the table to the compost pile, students will have opportunities to interact with food at various levels.

CULTIVATE A SENSE OF PLACE
By purchasing locally produced food when possible, we will connect students to their immediate urban surroundings and the larger Massachusetts rural farming environs. These collaborations with local food producers make Somerville a partner in the creation of resilient food systems and prosperous economies.

ADVOCATE FOR GOOD FOOD
Within the school district and city of Somerville, we will promote wellness and food access policies that generate, facilitate and sustain systems change.

PROJECT GOALS

- Educate eaters about mindful eating and food systems

- Serve fresh, flavorful, and nutritious locally grown, seasonal foods in school meals and snacks
- Develop school gardens as a viable resource for Somerville schools and community
- Support local farmers and the local economy
- Create a tangible link to the city of Somerville's urban agriculture and healthy living initiatives

Please contact Karyn Novakowski, Somerville Farm to School Project Director at knovakowski@k12.somerville.ma.us to get involved!

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Mindful Eating: Part 1

In order to digest your food properly, your body must be in parasympathetic mode, or in a state of non-stress. Kindergartners know this. Well, they might not know the scientific term yet, but during lunch they participate in 6 minutes of silence; a period they call "Mindful Eating". When asked why they like mindful eating, the children replied, because "it’s quiet”, “I can enjoy my food better”, “I get peace and quiet”, and "it’s calmly”. Kindergartener teacher Ms. Scrima, and other Kennedy School teachers have been implementing mindfulness in the cafeteria and their classrooms since last year. They are proud to have a lunch period that looks and sounds quite different from the chaotic cafeteria rush other classes often experience. While the students sit silently at the lunch table checking in with their emotions, their digestive systems are also benefitting. Physiologically, only when our bodies are in rest mode can the brain trigger the release of digestive ...

Put your best FORK forward during National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month! Each year the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics develops new topics to celebrate National Nutrition Month. This year's theme, Put your best fork forward, encourages us to consider that every bite counts. Even "small shifts in our food choices, can add up over time." Here in Somerville we are celebrating National Nutrition Month in a few ways. ~ We are releasing Veggie of the Month kits in each school's library! The kits contain books, taste testing supplies, and a binder with lesson materials for each month! ~ We are visiting a few PreK-2nd grade classes to "taste-test" the veggie of the month: leafy greens! In the classroom, we are reading Sylvia's Spinach and making a simple salad dressing to drizzle over spinach! (Be sure to check back later for the results of our visits!) ~ Our Wellness Champions and Farm to School Staff are posting bulletin boards and fliers around the schools! ...

How do we get kids to eat their leafy greens? Try these 2 recipes...

For this year's National Nutrition Month, we are "Going Further with Food!" It's an assumption that getting our kids to eat their leafy greens is always a colossal battle. It's true--salads aren't easy to convince a kid to try when they're staring at something that resembles rabbit food. But by assuming they won't try it means you've already given up, and that's not what we're about here at the Somerville Farm to School Project! So how do we make salads desirable? For one, we can provide a space for children to grow their own food, to learn the parts of a plant, and to nurture something from seed to harvest. We've learned that, "if they grow it, they'll eat it". It's empowering to be hands-on with food! Even if you don't have outdoor garden space, leafy greens are easy to grow indoors or in small pots as long as you have a sunny window or space. Secondly, you can involve kids in the kitchen by making fun salad ...

Somerville Farm to School Project

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