Cindy Sue Schaller, Monroe School District Food Service Director
In an interview with our Spring Top Tomato, Cindy Sue Schaller, Cindy Sue widened the spotlight to credit the amazing team she works alongside: Helen Calvello, Linda Edwards, Stephanie Pecorino, and Donald McAnulty. Cindy also spoke of the grants and programs that have elevated their district food service program. “The Local Food for School Grant has allowed us to introduce more fresh NJ farm fruits, veggies, eggs, and even meats from local farms. Our HS now features a few new popular entrées that include local products and are a huge hit on our lunch menu rotation. Local Heirloom Tomato topped Pizza Griggstown Farm fresh Chicken Sausage with Mozzarella, Basil, and Roasted Tomatoes over Penne Zoodle Zucchini Pasta w/ Roasted Tomatoes and Chicken We receive student feedback. Students are enjoying varieties of fresh fruit and veggie sides with their meals too, including cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, and NJ fresh strawberries, and blueberries (part of the fruit and yogurt parfaits), NJ Fresh heirloom tomatoes, bib lettuce and cucumbers all included in the salads. Local cherry tomatoes, sliced tomatoes are part of our High School toppings bar and a recent Zoodle (local Zucchini) pesto pasta tasting for students.
‘Local Food for Schools is easy! We call it a triple win. It's a win for kids. It's a win for farmers, it's a win for school and the community.’
Local Farm to School activities have included:
• Applegarth Elementary celebrated National Nutrition Month with its own Wellness Week and featured local Jersey-grown pea shoots as a school-wide tasting event during lunch!
• School garden/greenhouse education that ties to what’s being taught in the middle school classrooms
• Meals serving locally sourced products from NJ Farms = very popular all around.”
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