Conscious Kitchen, in collaboration with Friends of the Earth, recently launched a report on the benefits of an alternative, values-based and climate-friendly school feeding service model.
Conscious Kitchen is a California-based organization that has been working for nearly a decade to improve food equity, education, and access. Their report, Organic, Plant-Forward Scratch Cooked School Meals: A California Case Study, looks at three schools currently implementing the Scratch Cooked School Meals model, which relies on providing 100 percent organic, home-cooked meals in low-waste kitchens.
With federal funding, the Sausalito Marin City School District has operated meal programs based on the Conscious Kitchen model for seven years at its two elementary schools, Willow Creek Academy and Bayside MLK Academy. Peres Elementary School in the West Contra Costa Unified School District recently completed a pilot program during the 2018-19 school year.
All three schools report having racially diverse student bodies. In addition, 100 percent of Bayside MLK and Peres students and just under half of Willow Creek Academy students qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
“The lack of access to healthy and nutritious food for all children is one of the most pressing challenges facing Americans,” Judi Shils, founder of Conscious Kitchen, tells Food Tank. “Poor nutrition and diet-related chronic diseases in children are on the rise, and rates are much higher among children of color, leading to long-term health and educational disparities.”
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), people of color in the United States face higher rates of chronic disease including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and stroke. For example, Black and Latino people are 77 and 66 percent more likely to develop diabetes compared to white individuals, respectively.
The Conscious Kitchen food model prioritizes student health and focuses on reducing preventable disease by providing 100 percent organic, plant-based, and freshly prepared meals.
Another element of the Conscious Kitchen model is student engagement and education through a Student Ambassador Program. Through this program, the organization provides funds for a nutrition educator and a school garden. They hope this will not only help students think more critically about healthy food choices, but also help them participate in the school lunch program.
“When students participate, the school meal is more likely to represent the diverse cultures and values of the community it serves, they are more likely to participate in the school lunch and become future advocates for a sustainable and healthy food system” Shils tells Food Tank.
Conscious Kitchen’s home cooking model also strives to benefit the community at large. The report explains that the programs require investment in kitchen infrastructure and larger kitchen staff, which can support job creation and local economic development. These full-time school food jobs also come with health care and benefits, adding another layer of stability.
Conscious Kitchen also focuses on supporting local organic agriculture, particularly small family farms.
Shils acknowledges that Conscious Kitchen programs cost more than traditional school feeding models. Additional costs are covered by a combination of local district general and discretionary funds, grants, and monetary and in-kind donations.
But the report finds that there are opportunities to save money in the future. For example, Willow Creek found it could save $9,450 per year by replacing beef-based meals with plant-based alternatives.
By sourcing plant-based meals from local farms, the program also prevents food waste, saves water and energy sources needed to produce, process and transport food and packaging. Additionally, the program works with food service teams to employ recycling and composting strategies.
“Conscious Kitchen found that by working creatively with school food service directors and the community, raising funds and helping to establish pilot initiatives, the community can come together to see the change they ended up being convinced of the holistic benefits of longer life. . long-term sustainable approach to feeding students,” Shils tells Food Tank.