Unlocking the Potential of School Nutrition: Dryden’s Food Service Department Receives $136,251 in Federal Grant
The Dryden Central School District’s Food Service Department is receiving a $136,251 federal grant to bring healthy scratch cooked meals to students. The funding comes through the Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative, in a shared effort between the non-profit Action for Healthy Kids and the USDA. Going back to basics, more locally grown ingredients and delicious flavors are headed to cafeterias this fall.
The federal initiative awarded over $30 million to 264 small and rural schools in 44 states to support school nutrition and upgrade kitchen operations. USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, Stacy Dean, commented on the initiative stating, “We want to ensure every child in America has the opportunity to attend a school with high quality, nutritious meals, and this support is a step in that direction.”
The Dryden Central School District believes that a safe, joyful, and nurturing environment promotes learning and growth. To accomplish this mission, nutrition plays a vital role in the overall well-being and growth of our students. The aforementioned funding will allow us to hire a new executive chef. This individual will support and guide the department's mission to provide healthy, scratch-cooked food to every student. They will lead our food service staff in hands-on training and proper cooking techniques. As a result, staff will have the confidence to engage in scratch-cooking and develop a plan together to expand the sources of the food bought for our school lunch program all the while supporting local farmers in the community.
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